The 5th Executive Council meeting of Jammu & Kashmir State Rural Livelihoods Mission (Umeed) was held here today under the Chairmanship of Chief Secretary, B R Sharma. ‘Umeed' is mandated to reachout to 66% of J&K's rural population across the erstwhile 143 blocks and link them to sustainable livelihood and nurture them till they come out of poverty and enjoy a decent quality of life. Starting 2013-14, the project is in its 3rd year of implementation and the total number of SHGs constituted under JKSRLM has reached to 9489 in the State. The Executive Council approved bringing 14 more blocks under the Mission in 2016-17 taking the total number of blocks to 35.During 2015-16, Umeed programme was extended to 4 more blocks including Waroosa in Kupwara, Dooru-Shahbad in Anantnag, Chushoot in Leh and Kargil block in Kargil.A Centrally Sponsored Scheme, Umeed was launched in the J&K in 2013. It envisages bringing 66% of the rural households, both BPL and non-BPL, into the Self Help Group fold.
The Union Cabinet had approved a Special Dispensation for J&K under NRLM and sanctioned Rs 750 crore project to be implemented in J&K in a phased manner in five years. The Mission brings women from rural areas on the platform of Self Help Groups, trains them to create their own capital, provides capital from Government in the form of Revolving Fund (RF) and Community Investment Fund (CIF) and links them to the bank for enhancing their existing livelihoods or creating new livelihood so as to bring the family out of poverty. It was informed that J&K Bank has been designated as Nodal Bank for receiving and transferring the interest subvention to the Self Help Groups of category-II Districts.Union Government also intends to bring 100 additional Districts under Category-I districts for interest subvention across the country. Among these 3 Districts have been allotted to Jammu and Kashmir.
The Executive Council recommended Kupwara, Poonch and Kishtwar Districts under Category-I for interest subvention to the Union Government. Presently, Udhampur, Budgam and Ganderbal are included under Category-I districts. Meanwhile, in order to upscale and cover 900000 rural population across 143 erstwhile blocks of J&K, the Executive Council decided to take up with the Union Ministry of Rural Development to extend the Umeed project further for more years.Financial Commissioner, Planning & Development, B B Vyas, Administrative Secretaries Finance, School Seducation, Industries & Commerce, Rural Development Department, Health, Agriculture, Social Welfare, Animal Husbandry and other officers were present in the meeting.