Port Blair, Jan 11: Unnati with the support of NABARD and in association with Sippighat Gram Panchayat organized an awareness programme on 10-01-2023 at Sippighat Community Hall for empowerment of women through self employmentprogramme by making them self reliant women groups i.e. Self Help Groups, Self Help Group Union, Self Help Group Federation and Joint Liability Group. At the outset Mrs. Jyothi Pradhan Sippighat Gram Panchayat welcomed the gathering and said awareness is a key to empowerment. She said that she requested Unnati to organize this function for empowering members of Self Help Groups and appealed participants to clarify their doubts through this awareness programme and take part actively in the retrofitting awareness programme to work in a mission mood to make women group self reliant of Panchayat so that may not stay behind in empowering women groups.
Mr. C. Mohammed President Unnati said that in recent days govt. is focusing on the development and empowerment of women through various programmes for the benefits of the women and also to enhance their capacity building and skill up-gradation. He added that same is evident from the speech of Prime Minister in the National Conference of Chief Secretaries on 06-01-2022 in which he specifically urged to give priority on women empowerment and MSME to improve their socio-economic conditions and now women can also avail overdraft facilities under PMJDY and financial assistance under PMEGP for dairy poultry, aquaculture including bee-keeping. He urged the Self Help Group members to avail these opportunity extended facilities by the government. President Unnati further said that the Rural Development Department recently started formation of Self Help Group Federation in all Gram Panchayats and CRPs are actively engaged in the formation of Federation which would provide women group members to address social and economic issues collectively and also to access and manage external funds and bring cohesiveness among members for facilitating income generating activities. The 3 tier organization structure of Self Help Groups are groups at village level, union at Panchayat level and Federation at Block level and their functions and role were also elaborated besides other women related schemes and flagship programmes of the government Followed by question and answers. Few participants interested to avail Mudra loan were advised to furnish the details to Pradhan for pursuing the matter with the concerned financial institution. During interaction participants showed interest in undergoing training in coconut and marine based products which they can avail with the help of the Industry Department.
Unnati is thankful to Sippighat Gram Panchayat, CRP and representatives of Self Help Groups for their support, cooperation and active participation.