JK has 30,548 operational SHGs, 16,500 more to come up: Official

Over 30,500 women self help groups (SHG) are operational in Jammu and Kashmir and 16,500 more will be set up during the current financial year, a senior official said Tuesday.

Under the State Rural Livelihoods Mission (SRLM), 22 districts covering 83 blocks have 30,548 SHGs and 2,77,342 women are a part of them, said SRLM Director Abdul Rashid War in a meeting convened to review the implementation of 'UMEED' scheme under the SRLM on Monday.

War said the mission was to take up 30 additional blocks and set up 16,500 SHGs in the current financial year.

Rural Development Department and Panchayati Raj Secretary Sheetal Nanda, who chaired the meeting said, said the focus should be on enhancing livelihoods, developing capacity of community cadre in local immersion sites and making community federation financially sustainable.

She asked the officials to gear up the pace of work at grass root level and achieve the set targets within the given time frame.

"SHGs should be made self-sustainable as they are a revenue generating enterprise for stakeholders. They will provide women opportunity to participate actively and get engaged in manufacturing and distribution of products," Nanda said.