Answer: Social entrepreneurship is when people use business skills and principles to solve social or environmental problems. Instead of just focusing on making profits, social entrepreneurs aim to create positive changes in their communities or the world. 

Examples include educational programs, providing banking services in underserved areas and helping children orphaned by epidemic disease.

Livelihood crisis in India

• Of 90 crores working-age adults in India, only 41% are employed or seeking work.
• As per the latest Annual PLFS Reports, the estimated Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR) for women of age 15 years and above in the country was only 32.8% during 2021-22.
• Informal job sector employs 90% of India’s workforce.
• India's lifetime rural-urban migration was around 80 million as per 2011 Census. However, in India, with over 200 million people still living in multidimensional poverty, it is insufficient to address the livelihood crisis.

Social Entrepreneurship contribution to mitigating the livelihood crisis

• Upskilling Vulnerable Communities: Social benefit organizations and entrepreneurs are providing technology-led training and imparting soft skills, helping under-served communities gain confidence and technical know-how necessary for formal job sectors. 
• For instance, Lighthouse Communities Foundation is equipping youth with the necessary skills to access formal job opportunities and make them job-ready.
• Addressing Information Asymmetry: These entities are bridging information gaps by equipping individuals with market knowledge and facilitating access to employment opportunities, making negotiations and benefits more accessible. 
• For instance, Gramhal Foundation uses an AI chatbot to offer farmers crucial information on crop prices, weather, and government schemes.
• Empowering Self-Reliance: By equipping communities with knowledge, skills, and a sense of shared community, social benefit organizations are fostering self-reliance and generating profitable revenue streams, leading to sustainable livelihoods. 
• For instance, Kaarigar Clinic is equipping artisanal communities with market-ready business skills to generate sustainable revenue streams.
• Sulabh International, founded by Dr. Bindeshwar Pathak  addresses a critical public health issue and also creates employment opportunities for marginalized communities.
• Strengthening the Informal Sector: Social entrepreneurs are working to make the informal job sector less vulnerable, providing financial agency to workers in this sector, making self-employment a viable option. 
• For instance, Ujjivan's microfinance and financial inclusion efforts empower individuals in the informal sector to establish or grow their businesses, leading to immediate income generation. 
• Leveraging Technological Advancements: Emerging technologies and government initiatives like India Stack and ONDC are creating an ecosystem that enables paperless, cashless, and presence-less delivery systems, providing a foundation for social entrepreneurs to scale their impact and address livelihood challenges effectively. 
• For instance, Karya, born out of a Microsoft Research project, provides AI-enabled digital work to people from marginalised communities with inclusive smartphone-based solutions to earn, learn, and grow.

By harnessing the power of entrepreneurship for social good, it offers a promising pathway to alleviate India's livelihood crisis. Through targeted interventions, skill development, and inclusive financial initiatives, social entrepreneurship holds the potential to empower individuals, foster self-reliance, and create lasting impact in vulnerable communities across the nation.