Atal Dulloo Calls for Convergence of Livelihood Schemes to Empower Rural Women
SRINAGAR: Chief Secretary, Atal Dulloo, today chaired a high-level meeting to review the functioning of the Jammu & Kashmir Rural Livelihoods Mission (JKRLM) and called for effective convergence of the Mission with Mission YUVA, PM Formalisation of Micro Food Processing Enterprises (PMFME), and the Lal Ded Stree Shakti Scheme to maximize employment generation and ensure sustainable livelihood opportunities for rural women across the Union Territory.
The meeting was attended by the Principal Secretary, Finance; Secretary, Rural Development Department; Managing Director, JKRLM, Subhra Sharma; and representatives from J&K Bank.
The Chief Secretary emphasized that women’s empowerment through sustainable livelihoods is the core objective of JKRLM. He underlined the need for a convergence-driven model to integrate women-centric and employment generation schemes, ensuring tangible outcomes at the grassroots level.
Mr. Dulloo directed JKRLM to cover at least 5,000 women under the Lal Ded Stree Shakti Loan Scheme during the current year and to enhance credit linkages for Self-Help Groups (SHGs), Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs), and Custom Hiring Centres being established under the Mission. He also called for strengthening the capacity-building ecosystem through community-managed training centres, identification of local resource persons, and promotion of collective learning.
Presenting an overview, Managing Director JKRLM, Subhra Sharma, highlighted the Mission’s major achievements in promoting women’s economic independence. She informed that under the UMEED Programme, JKRLM has mobilized 7.66 lakh rural households into 94,962 SHGs across 20 districts, providing capitalization support of ₹528.86 crore. Since 2013-14, SHGs have accessed ₹2,806.06 crore in bank credit, demonstrating strong financial inclusion and repayment capacity.
Under the Start-up Village Entrepreneurship Programme (SVEP), 7,280 rural enterprises have been established in 14 blocks, with ₹16.53 crore disbursed through the Community Enterprise Fund (CEF). The Mission has also expanded digital inclusion, engaging 710 SHG members as Banking Correspondents (553 with J&K Bank and 157 with J&K Grameen Bank), who have facilitated ₹123 crore in financial transactions this fiscal.
The “Lakhpati Didi” initiative, launched to transform SHG members into micro-entrepreneurs earning over ₹1 lakh annually, has trained 17,811 women in collaboration with institutions such as NIFT and the Central University of Jammu.
JKRLM has also strengthened market linkages, with SHG products now available on Flipkart, Amazon, and Meesho, besides establishing nine district-level Haats and retail outlets, including counters at airports. SHG members have also showcased their products at seven SARAS Melas across India.
Further, 39,450 women have been linked with income-generating activities in Agriculture, Horticulture, and allied sectors, while the Lal Ded Stree Shakti Scheme has facilitated 285 credit disbursements since its launch. Additionally, 8,820 Mahila Kisans have adopted sustainable Agro-Ecological and Livestock Management Practices.
The Mission has also signed an MoU with the National Resource Organisation (OMPLIS) to strengthen implementation through Model Cluster Level Federations (CLFs) and Community Managed Training Centres (CMTCs). The partnership focuses on training needs assessments, module development on Governance, Finance, and Gender, and improving leadership and financial systems at the community level.
To enhance exposure and learning, SHG members and officials are being sent to Andhra Pradesh and other states to study successful livelihood models for replication in J&K.
Appreciating the Mission’s progress, the Chief Secretary urged all stakeholders to work in synergy to scale up livelihood interventions, promote financial literacy, and advance economic self-reliance among rural women across Jammu and Kashmir.
