Army lays foundation for women empowerment in J-K's Ramban

With an aim to empower young women, the army on Saturday distributed sewing machines along with cloth among 17 girls in a remote village in Jammu and Kashmir's Ramban district.

During the function, organised at Dharmund as part of the stitching and tailoring coaching classes being undertaken by the army, 90 solar lamps, 150 blankets and 125 sleeping bags were also distributed to the local residents, a defence spokesperson said.

He said the ceremony was attended by representatives from the National Skill Development Council of India.

About 250 local villagers from remote villages of Dharmund, Champa and Batote attended the event, the spokesperson said, adding that the highlight of the event was collaboration carried out by the army with the National Skill Development Council of India wherein these 17 girls are being registered for a three months course for apparel designing under the Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana.

The army also facilitated opening of independent bank accounts in the name of the girls' along with registration for Aadhaar cards, which is mandatory for direct bank transfer of certain emoluments to the girls under the scheme, the spokesperson said.

He said the event also showcased a patriotic cultural programme by 14 girl students from Dharmund Middle School.