In simple words, entrepreneurship development programmes refer to developing entrepreneurial abilities among people. It refers to inculcation, development and polishing of those entrepreneurial skills into a person which are needed to establish and successfully run his enterprise. It deals with careful identification of potential entrepreneur need-based entrepreneurial training and pre and post project implementation and follow up and support. Meaning of entrepreneurship development programme is implementing those efforts by which following goals, can be achieved:

1. An educational process and endeavour in human resources development. 

2. To help in establishment of new ventures and formulation of projects.

3. Entrepreneurship development programme enhances the motivation, knowledge, operational skills of potential entrepreneurs and assists them to develop their own ventures and run them successfully. 

4. Train them to use entrepreneurial skills in daily life activities.

Following are the main objectives of Entrepreneurship Development Programmes : 

(i) To promote first generation entrepreneurs and industrialists :

Entrepreneurship development programmes are based on the belief that entrepreneurs are not born, they are created. It is primarly meant for developing entrepreneurs by giving them the required training, counselling, support and motivation.

(ii) To develop entrepreneurial qualities : 

Entrepreneurship development programmes identifies protential entrepreneurs and through continuous training, motivation, counselling develop necessary qualities in them and make them competent to face the uncertainties, and take profitable risk for successful running of their enterprises. 

(iii) To provide knowledge about government planning and programmes : 

Another objective of entrepreneurship development programmes is to inform the entrepreneurs about the various schemes, incentives, plans and programmes started by government and to create awareness about such programmes. Entrepreneurship development programmes also help the entrepreneurs to identify those department and institutions from where they can get various types of information.

(iv) Helps in formulation of new projects :

Entrepreneurship development programmes provide the required assistance to entrepreneurs for starting new ventures and projects. They help the potential entrepreneurs to develop their projects, ideas, into bankable projects. They also provide the necessary knowledge about project formulation and project implementation, market analysis, working capital requirements to the entrepreneurs for running their business.

(v) To provide knowledge about advantages and disadvantages : 

Entrepreneurship development programmes make the people aware of pros and cons of being an entrepreneur, advantages and disadvantages of entrepreneurship, the possible challenges and problems which might come in the way of establishment and operation of any enterprise. 

(vi) To provide training to operate business and marketing :

One objective of Entrepreneurship development programmes is to impart various training programmes to first generation potential entrepreneurs, existing industrial workers and managers, to promote micro and small scale enterprises in the country.

vii) To develop small scale and cottage industries : 

Entrepreneurship development programmes encourage the establishment and development of micro, small scale, and cottage industries by utilising the locally available resources. Technical skills, knowledge, financial assistance and several other incentives are given to promote the development of small and cottage industries in the country.