Lauding the role of Women’s Development Corporation towards promotion of the interests of women folk in the state with focus on underprivileged segments, Advisor to Governor Khurshid Ahmed Ganai today emphasized on the need on creating ample and gainful employment opportunities for women enabling them to live a dignified life.“Raising their living standard will enable them to contribute towards growth and development of the society with added vigor and energy” he added.The Advisor, who is also the Chairman of Jammu and Kashmir Women's Development Corporation (JKWDC) was speaking at the 24th meeting of Board of Directors of the Corporation, here today.Principal Secretary Finance, Navin Choudhary, Secretary Social Welfare Dr Farooq Ahmad Lone, Director General Planning Development and Monitoring Department Shahzada Bilal Ahmad, Managing Director, JKWDC Naheed Soz and other members of BoD including Prof. Yasmeen Ashai, Dr. Kavita Suri and Muslim Jan were present at the meeting.The meeting was informed that the Corporation is implementing a number of Developmental Schemes for Socio-Economic Uplift of Women with special focus on those living Below Poverty Line (BPL) and also for the qualified Women Entrepreneurs.The Board meeting discussed activities, achievement and five year plan (2019 to 2023) of WDC. Various agenda points were discussed, including action taken report on the decisions of 23rd Board meeting, adoption and approval of accounts for the year 2017-18, implementation of 7th pay commission, enhancement of wages in respect of Consolidated field supervisors, branding of WDC products, construction WDC office at Jammu, filling up of vacant posts and many others.After detailed deliberations, several important decisions were taken by the Board for better management of the affairs of the Corporation.
The board meeting approved proposals including implementation of 7th pay Commission for the staff, brand name for the products of JKWDC, proposal for purchase of land for construction of office complex at Jammu, etc.The Chairman asked JKWDC for identification and promotion of more women entrepreneurs, organizing awareness camps and identifying women for activities which make them more empowered. He stressed on giving priority to far-off and uncovered areas so that women living there can be benefited by the schemes of JKWDC.The Chairman also directed JKWDC to participate in National and state level exhibitions, trade fairs to display and sell the products of the women beneficiaries.The Board members observed that there is huge scope of employment opportunities for women under JKWDC schemes and for this purpose a well knit strategy shall be framed to reach out to the socially and economically backward women for their socio-economic uplift .Earlier, Managing Director, JKWDC informed the meeting that JKWDC has disbursed an amount of Rs 136.61Crore and covered 15076 beneficiaries under various centrally and state sponsored schemes.The WDC as a Vocational Training Provider imparted training to 7023 women in various trades and provided an amount of Rs 5.92 crore to members of 2245 women SHGs constituted during training under Micro Finance Scheme of Govt. of India.Later, the Advisor Khurshid Ahmed Ganai along with Board members released the “Calendar” of JKWDC for the year 2019-20.