Dehradun (Uttarakhand) [India], August 11 : Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Monday honored women Self Help groups (SHG) doing commendable work under the Chief Minister's Sashakt Bahana Utsav Yojana at his residence and also interacted with them.
On this occasion, the Chief Minister launched the mascot and logo of the Chief Minister's Udyamshala Yojana and inaugurated the new product and website of the House of Himalayas.
Applauding Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his work done for the welfare and empowerment of women, Dhami stated, "Work has been done towards making women self-reliant through schemes like 33 per cent reservation for women in Parliament and Legislative Assemblies, Beti Bachao-Beti Padhao Abhiyan, Ujjwala Yojana and Lakhpati Didi. When a woman is economically empowered, she works to empower the entire society."
Highlighting the state government's efforts to improve the welfare of women's power, Dhami stated, "Efforts have been made to ensure maximum participation of women of the state from education and health to entrepreneurship and jobs. Work is being done to make the rural women of the state self-reliant through the Rural Livelihood Mission. New opportunities are being provided to women through the Sashakt Bahana Utsav Yojana and the Chief Minister's Women Self-Help Group Empowerment Scheme. Under the Chief Minister's Udyamshala Scheme, incubation facilities will be provided to more than 15 thousand entrepreneurs, self-help groups and Lakhpati Didis in the next three years. Under this, they will be provided business skill training, legal and licensing support, co-working space, investment assistance and a strong network for marketing from local to global level."
The Chief Minister further stated that under the initiative of Vocal for Local and Local to Global, the umbrella brand of House of Himlayas had been created to realise the resolution of Lakhpati Didi and to give global recognition to local products.
Under this, 35 high-quality products are currently being delivered to the people. Soon, the products of House of Himalayas will also be exported to other countries of the world. Dhami further stated that about five lakh women had their business organised through 68 thousand self-help groups in the state.
"Through the Mukhyamantri Sashakt Bahana Utsav Yojana launched in 2023, our sisters have sold products worth more than Rs 7 crore by setting up more than 27 thousand stalls in various events. More than 1 lakh 63 thousand sisters of the state have become lakhpatis. 49 growth centres have been established for the processing and marketing of products made by women's self-help groups. For effective marketing of these products, 33 nano packaging units, 17 Saras centres, three state-level marketing centres and 8 bakery units are also being operated in 13 districts," he stated.
Under the One Station, One Product Scheme of the Central Government, special centres have been set up at Dehradun and Haridwar railway stations for the sale of products of women's self-help groups.
Giving testimonials of the advantage taken of the schemes, Seema Kumari of Almora said "By taking advantage of various schemes of the state government, I earned an income of Rs 18 lakh in the last 5 years."
Daya Danu of Bageshwar said "400 women are associated with self-employment with me and together we have earned a profit of one crore rupees in a year."
Hema Upadhyay of Champawat said that she had been working on agro tourism and had been earning Rs 4 lakh every year through poly house and homestay. During Corona, she did reverse migration with her husband.
Rekha Negi of Chamoli said that she is getting good income on local products through stalls.
Kiran Rana, resident of Dehradun stated "I have been practicing mushroom production, and today there are 34 women are working with her."
Chhabi of Haridwar told that she had taken a loan of Rs 10 lakh for the restaurant, on which she got a subsidy of Rs 6 lakh.
Kiran Joshi of Nainital "In the business of silk that I did, I earned Rs 8 lakhs in a period of nine months."