Silchar, Jul 24 (PTI) A visit by their deputy commissioner on COVID-19 duty has inspired the women of a remote village along the Bangladesh border in Cachar district of Assam to form their first self-help group (SHG) which would now provide them the linkage to government welfare schemes.
Cachar Deputy Commissioner Keerthi Jalli had visited the minority-dominated Tukergram revenue village (Puran Basti), bordering Bangladesh, under Harinagar Gaon Panchayat of Katigorah Development Block, for COVID-19 testing and vaccination awareness on June 11, an official statement said on Saturday.
During the visit, Jalli noticed that women of the area aspired to do developmental works but were not organised to that extent, it added.
She then asked them to form a SHG, comprising marginalised women of that area, so that they could be brought under the fold of Assam State Rural Livelihood Mission (ASRLM) and supported through various government schemes, like ‘Kanaklata Mahila Sabalikaran Yojana’.
This led to the formation of the first SHG in the area, named ‘Pally Unnayan SHG’, on Thursday, the statement further said.
Expressing her happiness at mobilising these women to enable them to avail benefits under government schemes, Jalli said, I am optimistic that skilling and handholding under ASRLM would enable them access to income generating platforms through activities like goat rearing, milk farming, etc.
Most importantly, they are now in a position to plan for their families on financial matters as well, which paves the way for them to emerge as role models of women empowerment among their community and area.”
Antara Paul, BDO, Katigorah and Block coordinator Bikash Choudhury also contributed to provide impetus to the women to organise themselves into SHGs, the statement said.
Motivated after the formation of the first SHG, other women of the area are also coming forward to set up SHGs so that they may become eligible for benefits under various government schemes, the statement said.
The importance of credit linkage support for enhanced livelihood activities was explained to the women, which worked as another motivating factor for the women, it added.