Women entrepreneurs making contribution to uplift rural economy: Lt Governor

Srinagar, Jun 29: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha Wednesday attended an event of Women Entrepreneurs organized by J&K Rural Livelihood Mission at the lawns of SKICC.
On the occasion, the Lt Governor e-inaugurated and laid foundation stone for New District Rural Haats across J&K and dedicated the facility to all the women entrepreneurs.
We are proud that lakhs of women entrepreneurs around the UT are making valuable contributions to uplift the rural economy with single-minded pursuit of excellence through creativity and hard work, the Lt Governor said.
It is the women entrepreneurs in the far-flung rural areas, who keep the wheels of socio-economic progress moving, helping the government to reduce disparities, inequalities in the society & contributing to faster growth with employment and equity, the Lt Governor added.
The Lt Governor highlighted the reforms introduced by the government to identify women’s potential in the leadership role and providing them opportunity to scale up their businesses.
Government’s initiatives like Saath, Hausla, Umeed, Tejaswini laid a strong foundation for financial independence of rural women, he added.
Technology, market dynamics and financial inclusion is providing an opportunity to transform the women Self Help Groups. They are successfully creating a niche for their products in a fiercely competitive global market and helping other women to become financially independent, the Lt Governor said.
As many as 5 lakh women are associated with 56,000 Self-Help Groups. This year, assistance and support will be provided to additional 1.5 lakh women entrepreneurs, observed the Lt Governor.
The Lt Governor stressed on identifying 75 progressive women entrepreneurs from Rural Livelihood Mission Self Help Groups for honouring them on August 15 as an acknowledgment for their contribution to women empowerment.
The Lt Governor unveiled the Product Catalogue of Self Help Groups and JKRLM’s gift hamper. To mark the occasion, the Lt Governor distributed Micro ATMs and felicitated best performing Sakhies.
Dr Arun Kumar Mehta, Chief Secretary assured that the government will make provision for procurement of SHGs products by government departments.
Indu Kanwal Chib, Mission Director, JKRLM gave a detailed briefing on the initiatives taken to extend support and assistance to SHGs and rural women entrepreneurs.
Rural Livelihood Mission is setting up a district-wise packaging unit to facilitate better packaging and branding of the product of Self Help Groups. Apart from this, about 2600 individual enterprises will also be set up under the Start Up Village Enterprise Program, besides Micro food processing campaign is also being started for women entrepreneurs, it was informed.
Earlier, the Lt Governor inspected the live stalls set up by the SHG groups.
Mandeep Kaur, Commissioner/Secretary, Rural Development and Panchayati Raj department, besides senior officials, members of SHGs and women entrepreneurs were present on the occasion.