Women Technology Park rolled out at Science City

Tribune News Service

Kapurthala, November 6

Joint Development Commissioner-cum-CEO Punjab State Rural livelihood Mission Neelima inaugurated the Women Technology Park set up at the Pushpa Gujral Science City here.

Inaugurating the park, she said, “The economic empowerment of women was the most viable solution to integrate women with the developmental goals of the nation and Atma Nirbhar Bharat. The unseen foe (Covid-19) has really hit us hard, touching every section of the society, especially the poor, daily wagers and the women at large. The Women Technology Park will be an attempt towards empowering the rural women and making them ‘Atma Nirbhar’.”

An IAS officer, Neelima said the Women Technology Park was a technology modulation and a training centre with livelihood technologies for women. The park will enhance the capabilities of women and promote entrepreneurship by providing equal opportunities especially in rural areas. Further, she said the Science City had started the first batch of residential training in mushroom cultivation. Punjab State Rural Livelihoods Mission has nominated krishi sakhis (64 in two batches) from seven districts (Sangrur, Tarn Taran, Ferozepur, Pathankot, Gurdaspur, Bathinda and Patiala) for the training. Now, these trained krishi sakhis will further train 15,000 identified mahila kisans within Punjab.

Deepti Uppal, Deputy Commissioner, Kapurthala, was the guest of honour during the occasion. She said district administration had already provided a platform ‘Bibian Di Dukan’ for the sale of domestic items such as desi ghee, biscuits, turmeric, and other products prepared by the women Self Help Groups (SHGs) from the district. She also said the district had 188 SHGs and out of total 1,992 members, 1400 are women, who not only prepare domestic items but are also involved in stitching suits and making handicraft items. She said the products/goods made by rural women in the Women Technology Park will also be sold at ‘Bibian Di Dukan’.

Dr Neelima Jerath, Director General, Science City, said the park had been catalysed and supported by the Science for Equity, Empowerment and Development (SEED) Division of Department of Science and Technology, GoI. The park is an attempt to ensure that the benefits of science and technology percolate to the rural women of the surrounding villages and provide them livelihood opportunities to enable rural women (without specific skills) to earn in a dignified way.

The Women Technology Park consists of three training units: Pleurotus sajor caju (dhingri) cultivation, value addition to existing textile materials (training on block printing and computer embroidery machine) and preparation of cow dung pots and logs (an innovative way of using cow dung). The project is of three-year duration and the total cost of the project is around Rs 59.60 lakh. Further, she said that efforts will also be made to collaborate with banks (including NABARD and TiE) for soft loan to women to set up their own enterprise (preferably collective) in the village after training under schemes such as Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana, Cent Kalyani Scheme, Orient Mahila Vikas Yojna, Stree Shakti Package, etc.

ADC, Development, Kapurthlala, SP Angra, appreciated the efforts of the Science City and said the Women Technology Park would make women of the region financially independent. Dr Rajesh Grover, Director Science City, present on the occasion said besides hands on and practical training, the Science City will also give training on marketing, networking and incubation facility which would be a unique feature of the technology park.