Srinagar: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today congratulated the Rural Development Department and J&K Rural Livelihoods Mission (UMEED) for their “remarkable contribution” towards transforming rural livelihoods and empowering women across Jammu & Kashmir.
As per an official press release, the chief minister said that the sustained efforts of the Rural Development Department and UMEED have “brought about a significant socio-economic transformation in rural areas” by strengthening women-led Self Help Groups (SHGs) and promoting financial inclusion and entrepreneurship.
The chief minister’s remarks came in the backdrop of growing national recognition received by Jammu & Kashmir’s women-led rural development initiatives under UMEED.
Union Minister for Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Shivraj Singh Chouhan also commended the leadership of the Jammu & Kashmir government and the J&K Rural Livelihoods Mission (UMEED) for the “remarkable achievements” across Jammu and Kashmir.
In a letter addressed to the Chief Minister, the Union minister stated that continued focus on scaling high-value enterprises, strengthening market ecosystems and deepening convergence would further accelerate the progress achieved under UMEED.
Expressing confidence in the future trajectory of the programme, Chouhan said that Jammu & Kashmir would continue to set benchmarks in women-led rural development.
In his communication, the Union minister observed that Jammu & Kashmir has emerged as a strong example of inclusive and women-led rural transformation under UMEED.
Highlighting the financial inclusion component, the Union minister said that the progress has been complemented by over ₹3,106 crore in bank credit and ₹820 crore in capitalization support facilitated under the programme.
During his Budget Speech 2026-27, the chief minister had reiterated that under the Lakhpati Didi initiative, 2,00,952 SHG women had already become Lakhpati Didis, while the remaining 32,048 potential households would be covered by June 2026 to further enhance women’s economic empowerment and rural enterprise.
Over 8.10 lakh women have been mobilised into more than 96,000 SHGs, with over ₹3,106 crore in bank credit facilitated and more than 2.30 lakh women achieving annual incomes above ₹1 lakh under the Lakhpati Didi initiative.
The chief minister had also stated that the government would proactively increase the number of Lakhpati Didis by converging the initiative with Mission Yuva.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister on Wednesday expressed gratitude to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar for facilitating the repatriation of the mortal remains of six Jammu and Kashmir residents who lost their lives in a road accident in Kuwait.
“The chief minister also appreciated the efforts of the Indian Embassy in Kuwait for extending timely assistance and support to the bereaved families during this difficult time,” an official spokesperson said here.
The deceased, all residents of Rajouri and Poonch districts, met with an accident at Saad Abdullah town near Kuwait City when returning from work on April 8.
Among the victims, five hailed from Surankote in Poonch district, while one belonged to Thanamandi in Rajouri district.
The chief minister conveyed his heartfelt condolences to the families of the deceased and prayed for eternal peace of the departed souls, the spokesperson said.
Abdullah also prayed for strength and fortitude for the bereaved families to bear the irreparable loss, he added.
