Secretary, Rural Development Department and Panchayati Raj, Sheetal Nanda today convened a meeting to review the implementation of ‘UMEED’ Scheme under J&K State Rural Livelihoods Mission (JKSRLM).During the meeting, Secretary was apprised by Mission Director J&KSRLM, Abdul Rashid War about the implementation of scheme in the State. It was given out that the Mission has covered all the 22 districts of the state covering 83 erstwhile blocks and has federated 277342 women into 30548 Self Help Groups (SHGs). Further, it was revealed during the meeting that Mission is taking 30 additional erstwhile blocks and forming 16500 (SHGs) in current financial year.On the occasion, Secretary RDD said that focus should be on enhancing of livelihoods across saturated blocks, developing capacity of community cadre in local immersion sites and making community federation (VOs/ CLFs) financially sustainable.
She asked the officials to gear up the pace of work at gross root level and achieve the set targets within given time frame. “Self-help groups (SHGs) should be made self-sustainable as it is a revenue generating enterprise for stakeholders. It would provide women opportunity to participate actively and get engaged in manufacturing and distribution of products,” she added.The meeting was also informed about the layering and enhancing of livelihood interventions and innovations like Mahila Kissan Sushaktikaran Paryojana (MKSP), Start Up Village Entrepreneurship Program (SVEP), Community Managed Sustainable Agriculture (CMSA) , Aromatic Plant Cultivation, Soap units, Community bazaar, E –Marketing of SHG products, Formation of Producer Groups/Companies, Marketing of Apricots and walnuts, Co-opted “Looms of Ladakh” a women Cooperative of Ladakh, Ajeevika Gram Express Yojana.