Minister for Rural Development, Panchayati Raj, Law and Justice, Abdul Haq Khan, on Saturday said the state government is making serious efforts to uplift the status of women folk in society and that making them economically self sufficient is the first step in this regard.Minister said this while welcoming the first batch of members of newly formed Self Help Groups (SHGs) from Chuchot block of Ladakh to go for in-house training. The 50 member is the first batch of SHGs members who are being trained at the Divisional Training Centre at Singhpora. The Minister was accompanied by Mission Director SRLM Bakshi Javed Humayun, Additional Mission Director Ishfaq Ahmad Wani. Abdul Haq said earlier the members had to travel to Hyderabad as the department had outsourced the training to a Non Governmental Organisation that was expensive, hectic and time consuming. He said for the convenience of the SHG members, the government has started in-house training and two training centres have been set up, one each at Kashmir and Jammu divisions.He said during the in-house training of the newly formed SHGs, the members will be trained how to run the programs under Umeed Scheme and how to increase livelihood opportunities so that before setting up for the journey, the members are well trained to run their groups successfully.
While welcoming the SHG members, Abdul Haq said the first step towards empowerment of women is to make them economically self reliant. He said under Umeed Scheme the government is training the women and assisting them to start their own ventures and earn their livelihood. He hoped that the training will help the members to run their SHGs successfully.Minister said that the livelihood scheme has already brought a great hope for poor women enabling them not just to come out of poverty but also to raise their status within their communities. He said the Government is committed to bringing revolutionary changes in the economic stability of the state, particularly in the rural areas.Praising the perseverance of women and their role in nation building, Khan impressed upon the gathering to be part of various welfare-based programmes of the government and assured them of complete support and handholding from the government.Earlier Mission Director Bakshi Javid Himayun informed the Minister that there are 1409 members in 141 Self Help Groups in Chuchot block. He said 139 SHGs have received a Revolving Fund of Rs 20.85 Lakh and the Community Investment Fund of Rs 55.20 Lakhs.During the interaction, members from different Self Help Groups shared their experiences of positive change in enhancing their livelihoods and confidence they have attained by associating themselves with the SHGs of UMEED. The Minister appreciated the women for changing their fate and ensured that more blocks shall be brought under the programme on fast-track basis and anticipated a big turnaround in the lives of poor families of the block.