Ranchi: Rural Development Minister Alamgir Aalam inaugurated a state-level one-day orientation program of office bearers of cluster-level organizations of rural women in the Project Bhawan auditorium.
Addressing the event he said that through the program the sisters of Sakhi Mandal of the state have been empowered and have been motivated to work for development in many social areas including increasing livelihood and income.
He said that under the training program, the department should formulate the latest strategy and train the sisters of Sakhi Mandal, through which the Sakhi Mandal and higher organizations would be able to develop rural development according to the goals of the government. In this series, about 90 thousand community cadres have been trained for project implementation including Banking Correspondent Pashu Sakhi, Krishak Mitra, Vanopaj Mitra, CRP and have been engaged in the expansion of the project.
Aalam informed that so far about 35 lakh rural women have become self-reliant by joining 2.79 lakh groups in the state. About 27 lakh sisters of the state have been linked with the Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana, while 16.79 lakh sisters have been linked with the Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana. Appreciating the role of BC Sakhi in making the banking facilities easier in the village, he said that till now 4647 BC Sakhi are providing door-to-door banking facilities in the panchayats.
He informed that 21 lakh rural women belonging to Sakhi Mandal have been connected with strong means of livelihood. Under which Didis are becoming self-reliant by joining agriculture, animal husbandry, forest produce, and entrepreneurship. He said that so far a total of 230 Palash Marts have been started in different districts of the state which is commendable. At the same time, more than 2 lakh didis are getting benefited from this initiative.
The minister in his address said that so far 128,374 group members have been provided a personal loan of more than Rs 30,000/- for livelihood promotion activities. At the same time, so far in this financial year, 209,118 group members have been identified for personal loans and efforts are being made to provide them with Mudra loan / KCC loan/loan from their group.
He said that through Phulo Jhano Ashirwad Abhiyan in the rural areas of the state, more than 23,000 women engaged in the manufacture and sale of liquor have been provided a respectable livelihood. While under the State Sustainable Johar Project, 3922 in 3815 villages in 68 blocks of 17 districts. Producer Group and 20 Producer Companies are operating. Under which about 2.21 lakh families of the state are getting benefits.
Addressing the workshop, Secretary, Rural Development, Dr Manish Ranjan said that through this workshop, the officers of the cluster organization would be trained on the collection of village products, quality collection and preparation of clusters to market system. He said that it is the goal to make the income of each didi of Sakhi Mandal from 10 thousand to 15 thousand.
In this workshop, the didis will also be brainstormed on better branding, packaging, and quality of Palash’s products including the tricks and benefits of the business plan. The Rural Development Secretary advised to work on the internal complaint system for complaints and suggestions of the didis and stressed on the use of IT tools.