www.pbr.co.in 56 State and Institutional Support for Women Entrepreneurship Development: A study of Dharwad District in Karnataka State Laxmi B. Parab Research Scholar, Karnatak University Dharwad R. L. Hyderabad Professor, P G Department of Studies in Commerce, Karnatak University Dharwad Abstract This paper examines the state and institutional support for women entrepreneurship development using a sample of 136 women entrepreneurs from Dharwad district of Karnataka by administering interview schedule. The study finds poor awareness level among sample women entrepreneurs on availability of various schemes. Only 85 per cent of women entrepreneurs having awareness have availed of the benefits of the programmes. The analysis also reveals that women entrepreneurs receiving institutional support and not receiving support have earned the same rate of profit. This indicates failure of institutions involved in developing women entrepreneurs and needs area specific and case specific approaches in furthering the women entrepreneurship. Institutions should also lay more emphasis in providing quality improvement through the adoption of latest technology and utilization of modern human resource management practices in imparting necessary training to sample women entrepreneurs. Keywords: Women Entrepreneurship, Training, Schemes, Institutional Pacific Business Review International Volume 7, Issue 2, August 2014 Introduction Women entrepreneurs occupy an important position in the industrial economy of the country because of low investment requirement, high potential for gainful employment generation and wider dispersal of industries in rural and urban areas. The economic development of advanced countries of the world has been attributed to the growth of women entrepreneurs. In advanced countries the majority of small enterprises have been managed by women. Women entrepreneurs represent nearly 40 per cent of all entrepreneurs in the United States and employ approximately 27.5 million people (NFWBO 2001). There are over five million women entrepreneurs constituting one fourth of all entrepreneurs in China. Keeping the experience of Western economies in mind, the Government of India has set up various institutions to promote women entrepreneurial activities. They offer a wide range of incentives