J&K: Govt schemes help women to tide over unemployment in Rajouri

Rajouri (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], October 2 (ANI): In an effort to boost financial independence, women from remote areas are achieving self-sufficiency through various government schemes in Thanamandi town of the Rajouri district.

Speaking about the schemes, Jaan Begum, a self-employed woman said, “These schemes help improve the economic conditions and assist the women in earning a livelihood through self-employment.”

“The schemes are a holistic effort towards women’s empowerment and assist us in generating livelihood through handicraft-making activities, the production of handcrafted bags, kushan, shawls, bedsheets, flowers decorations and other such things,” she added.

As part of the initiative, a scheme such as the Women’s Development Corporation gives direct loans to individual beneficiaries for start-ups or other forms of employment generation.

The scheme provides loans for women-employment activities such as jute accessories, embroidery, beauty parlours, bakery shops, pashmina spinning, carpet weaving, artificial flowers, dori work, block printing, cutting tailoring/fabric art or any other activity that beneficiary find viable.

Poor, unemployed women from distant parts of Thanamandi joined centres for self-employment after the Department of Women’s Development Corporation opened two handicraft centres there.

The government provides each woman with a monthly salary of Rs 1000 during the training period.

After training numerous women, the government provides loans for them to start their own successful businesses in the most remote and hilly portions of Rajouri’s Thanamandi.

This has helped women in Block Thanamandi of Rajouri District find work and become self-sufficient individuals.