Stresses on convergence of livelihood schemes to empower rural women
KT News Desk
Srinagar, Oct 13: Chief Secretary, Atal Dulloo Monday chaired a high-level meeting to review the functioning of the Jammu & Kashmir Rural Livelihoods Mission (JKRLM) and directed for effective convergence of the Mission with Mission YUVA, PM Formalisation of Micro Food Processing Enterprises (PMFME), and the Lal Ded Stree Shakti Scheme to maximize employment generation and ensure sustainable livelihood opportunities for women across rural areas of the UT.
The meeting was attended by Principal Secretary, Finance; Secretary, Rural Development Department; Managing Director, JKRLM, Subhra Sharma; and representatives from J&K Bank.
The Chief Secretary emphasized that the core objective of JKRLM is to empower rural women through creation of sustainable livelihoods, and this goal can be best achieved by enhancing their access to credit and entrepreneurial support. He stressed upon adopting a convergence-driven model, ensuring that the benefits of various women-centric and employment generation schemes complement each other to deliver tangible outcomes on the ground.
He directed the Mission to cover at least 5,000 women under the LalDedStree Shakti Loan Scheme during the current year and further enhance credit linkage for Self-Help Groups (SHGs), Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs), and Custom Hiring Centres being established under the Mission.
He also called for strengthening the capacity-building ecosystem by establishing community-managed training centres (CMTCs), identifying local resource persons, and fostering an environment of collective learning and participation.
Managing Director, JKRLM, Subhra Sharma, presented an overview of the Mission’s major achievements and initiatives aimed at strengthening rural livelihoods and promoting women’s economic independence.
She informed that under the UMEED Programme, JKRLM has successfully mobilized 7.66 lakh rural households into 94,962 Self-Help Groups (SHGs) across 20 districts and 265 blocks of the UT. A total capitalization support of Rs528.86 Cr has been provided to community-based organizations, while the SHGs have collectively accessed Rs2,806.06 Cr in bank credit since 2013-14 reflecting strong financial inclusion and repayment capacity.
Under the Start-up Village Entrepreneurship Programme (SVEP), 7,280 rural enterprises have been established across 14 blocks, with ₹16.53 crore disbursed through the Community Enterprise Fund (CEF). The progress indicates a robust credit culture, with several SHGs now availing multiple doses of credit owing to their proven repayment track record.
The Mission is also expanding its digital financial footprint through the Banking Correspondent (BC) model. Presently, 710 SHG members are working as BCs — 553 with J&K Bank and 157 with J&K Grameen Bank who have together facilitated financial transactions worth ₹123 crore during the current fiscal year.
JKRLM has also launched the “Lakhpati Didi” initiative, aiming to transform SHG members into micro-entrepreneurs earning over ₹1 lakh annually. So far, 17,811 women have been trained under this initiative in collaboration with institutions like it is, NIFT, and the Central University of Jammu.
The Mission’s efforts to enhance market linkages have also borne fruit, with SHG products now featured on e-commerce platforms such as Flipkart, Amazon, and Meesho. In addition, nine district-level Haats and Retail Outlets have been established, including sales counters at airports, while SHG members have participated in seven SARAS Melas and exhibitions across the country.
To deepen livelihood opportunities, 39,450 women members have been linked with various income-generating activities in Agriculture, Horticulture, and allied sectors, in collaboration with line departments. The Lal Ded Stree Shakti Scheme, recently launched to provide easy credit to women entrepreneurs, has already facilitated 285 disbursements.
Further, 8,820 Mahila Kisans have been brought under Agro-Ecological and Livestock Management Practices to promote sustainable and eco-friendly farming.
In line with the Chief Secretary’s direction, the Mission is also working to integrate entrepreneurship promotion with Mission YUVA and the Lal Ded Stree Shakti Loan Scheme, which share the common goal of economic empowerment through self-employment and skill development.
JKRLM has recently signed an MoU with the National Resource Organisation (OMPLIS) to strengthen its implementation capacity through Model Cluster Level Federations (CLFs) and Community Managed Training Centres (CMTCs). The partnership aims at conducting Training Needs Assessments (TNA), developing modules on Governance, Finance, and Gender, and enhancing leadership and financial systems within the CLFs.
Additionally, the Mission has initiated exposure visits for SHG members and officials to successful livelihood models in states like Andhra Pradesh, to learn from best practices and replicate them in J&K.
The Chief Secretary appreciated the Mission’s efforts and urged all stakeholders to work in close coordination to scale up livelihood interventions, promote financial literacy, and ensure the economic self-reliance of rural women across Jammu and Kashmir.
