26 May 2010  

Women empowerment has been on priority agenda of the State Government. A number of incentives being given to them through Self Help Groups (SHGs) in the State have gone a long way in their socio-economic uplift.

Taking a cue from the women oriented programmes being run by the state government, women of Chhamla panchayat in Arki Sub Division of Solan District formed six SHGs, Ganesh, Jalpa, Ruchi, Meenakshi, Parvati and Om Shanti Om through local Aanganwadi Kendras.

To begin with Om Shanti Om was formed about two years ago by 12 women of the area by contributing Rs. 100 each with the objective of creating self employment opportunities and also generating income. They started preparing pickles, jellies, teddy bears, kroshia woven sweaters, bags and later on they also started cultivating Mushroom.

Self Help Group formed in Chhamla Panchayat of Arki Sub Division of Solan District is a unique example of women empowerment. With their sheer determination and hard work every member of this group today has a balance of  Rs.30, 000 each name. The Self help Group is also providing loans to members on easy rate of interest.

Now each member of the group is earning Rs.2500 to Rs.4000. They also sell their products in exhibitions during various fairs and festivals.

Ranjana Sharma, Kaushalaya Devi and Rupa Sharma, members of this SHG are all praise for State Government for having started various schemes for the betterment of the women folk.  They say that Om Shanti Om Self Help Group has provided them an alternative way of earning on the one hand and has also added to self respect on the other. Now they have not to see to others for financial help.

The SHG also started Mushroom cultivation a year ago with the initial investment of Rs.7000. They sell mushroom in the nearby market at Darlaghat and also prepare mushroom pickle. Now they have started producing mushroom individually. Om Shanti Om SHG has also opened a shop in Darlaghat to sell their products by employing two persons to run the shop.

The members of this SHG has also started rearing animals and are selling milk in the nearby markets including  Kamdhenu Hitkari Manch, Namhol, District Bilaspur. Each member is fetching Rs.800 to Rs.1200 per month additionally from this.

A senior member of the group Champa Verma sensitizes the women in the area about various programmes launched by the state government.

2390 Self Help Groups have been formed in district Solan under the Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS) so far. As many as 1347 SHGs have associated themselves with banks and had started various works by taking loan worth Rs.18.32 crores. Similarly 700 SHGs have also been formed in the district under District Rural Development Agency (DRDA). 103 SHGs have been formed this year alone.

Self Help Groups are playing a pivotal role in women empowerment in the State. Thanks to the assistance being provided by the State Government to them under various schemes.

The success story of hard working women of Chhamla Panchayat is not confined to Chhamla Panchayat only. The Self Help Groups formed in other parts of the State have helped the women in their socio-economic upliftment.