Reviews functioning of JK Rural Livelihoods Mission
JAMMU: Secretary of the Rural Development Department (RDD) and Panchayati Raj, Dr. Shahid Iqbal Choudhary today stressed the urgent need for initiating innovative and economically viable developmental projects.
He underscored the importance of convergence not only within the department through various programs and schemes but also with other departments to maximize impact and efficiency.
Chairing a meeting of the Jammu and Kashmir Rural Livelihoods Mission, Dr. Shahid directed the promotion of convergence with the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA) and the Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan (RGSA).
He highlighted the potential of constructing sheds for Self-Help Groups (SHGs) related to farming activities with MGNREGA convergence and developing infrastructure through convergence with RGSA.
Dr. Shahid emphasized that such convergence efforts would significantly enhance the financial status of women and empower them tangibly. He stressed the need for steps to be taken for village empowerment. He mentioned that Umeed is an ideal and successful program, bringing pride as its achievements have garnered recognition from the Prime Minister.
During the meeting, discussions revolved around bank linkage of women associated with self-help groups, initiatives like Bank Sukhi and Bank Mitra, declaration of Jammu and Kashmir as a difficult area, RBI rules for providing banking benefits to a number of women for self-help groups, setting up of warehouses in Jammu and Srinagar for easy marketing access to manufactured products by SHGs, and other issues.
On this occasion, the Mission Director of Jammu and Kashmir Rural Livelihoods Mission, Indu Kunwal Chib, stated that over 89,000 self-help groups have been formed in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, with 736,000 women associated with them.
She highlighted key focus areas for the next fiscal year, which included federating 1.5 million rural women into SHGs, allocating Rs 75 crore for SHG capitalization, establishing district-level community-managed training centers, providing credit linkage facility of Rs 400 crore, disbursing Rs 1801 crore among SHG members, deploying BC Sakhis for doorstep banking, training 100,000 women farmers in agro-ecological practices, nurturing 3700 enterprises at the block level, and focusing on sub-themes like food, nutrition, health, and wash, gender, and enhancing social inclusion. She added that coordination with other departments and schemes aims to enhance efficiency and empower women.
