Uttarakhand CM Dhami honors women SHGs

Chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami launched the mascot and logo for the Mukhyamantri Udyamshala scheme and inaugurated the new product line and website of the House of Himalayas during the Mukhyamantri Sashkat Behana Utsav programme held on Monday. During the event, the CM honoured women self-help groups that are doing commendable work under the scheme.

Dhami stated that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is working towards the welfare and empowerment of women. Initiatives like 33 percent reservation for women in Parliament and Legislative Assemblies, Beti Bachao-Beti Padhao Abhiyan, Ujjwala Yojana and Lakhpati Didi have been instrumental in making women self-reliant. The State government is also dedicated to the welfare of women, focusing on maximising their participation in education, health, entrepreneurship and jobs. Efforts are being made to empower rural women in the state through the Rural Livelihood Mission, he said.

He further said that new opportunities are being created for women through the Sashakt Behana Utsav Yojana and the Chief Minister’s Women Self-Help Group Empowerment Scheme. Under the Mukhyamantri Udyamshala Yojana, incubation facilities will be provided to more than 15,000 entrepreneurs, self-help groups, and Lakhpati Didis over the next three years. Participants will receive business skill training, legal and licensing support, co-working spaces, investment assistance and a robust marketing network that connects local products to the global market.

The CM emphasised that under the ‘Vocal for Local’ and ‘Local to Global’ initiatives, launched under the PM’s leadership, the House of Himalayas umbrella brand has been created to realise the goal of empowering Lakhpati Didis and giving global recognition to local products. Currently, 35 high-quality products are being made available to consumers, with plans for exports to other countries soon.

He said that approximately five lakh women are currently engaged in organised businesses through 68,000 self-help groups in the state. Thanks to the Mukhyamantri Sashakt Behana Utsav Yojana launched in 2023, our sisters have collectively generated sales worth over Rs seven crore by setting up more than 27,000 stalls at various events. More than 1.63 lakh women in the State have become lakhpati.

To support the processing and marketing of products made by women self-help groups, 49 growth centers have been established. Additionally, for effective marketing, there are 33 nano packaging units, 17 Saras centres, three State-level marketing centres and eight bakery units operating across 13 districts. Under the Central Government’s One Station, One Product scheme, special centers have been set up at Dehradun and Haridwar railway stations to sell products made by women self-help groups.