SRINAGAR: The central Government said it has committed significant financial resources to enhance rural livelihoods in Jammu and Kashmir under the Deen Dayal Antyodaya Yojana – National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM).
As per the data presented in the Rajya Sabha on December 20, the Union Territory received Rs 506.86 crores in central allocations over the last three years, with Rs 417.86 crores disbursed to empower rural communities. The funds have been used to mobilise women into Self-Help Groups (SHGs), providing them with essential financial support and capacity-building resources.
Minister of State for Rural Development Dr Chandra Sekhar Pemmasani detailed these initiatives, which include revolving funds of Rs 20,000 to Rs 30,000 per SHG and community investment funds of up to Rs 2.50 lakh per SHG. These funds aim to strengthen SHG’s capacities, enabling them to attract larger bank credits and grow their ventures. Additionally, J&K has benefitted from various sub-programmes under DAY-NRLM. The Mahila Kisan Sashaktikaran Pariyojana (MKSP) released Rs 3.6 crores to support women farmers in adopting sustainable agricultural practices, while the Start-Up Village Entrepreneurship Programme (SVEP) disbursed Rs 497.76 lakhs to promote rural entrepreneurship.
Skill development also features prominently in these efforts, with Rs 176.29 lakhs allocated under the Deendayal Upadhyaya Gramin Kaushalya Yojana (DDU-GKY) for training rural youth. Nationwide, DAY-NRLM has mobilised over 10 crore women into 90.87 lakh SHGs, underscoring its transformative potential. J&K’s inclusion in these initiatives aligns with the Government’s broader goals of empowering rural households, fostering sustainable economic growth, and improving livelihoods in the Union Territory.
In a separate response, the government said it covered 52331 families in Jammu and Kashmir through SHGs and 455634 families under HHs in the last five years ending 2023-24.
