Srinagar: Principal Secretary, Skill Development Department (SDD), Dr. Asgar Hassan Samoon today remarked that proper training and handholding of SHGs is the need of the hour to make them profitable and for the value addition of their business units.
The Principal Secretary made these comments while chairing a meeting to review the progress on formulation of plan for imparting skill training to SHGs members through Polytechnic Colleges and ITIs of Jammu and Kashmir.
The meeting was attended by Mission Director, Rural Livelihoods Mission (RLM), Dr. Syed Sehrish Asgar; State Engagement Officer of National Skill Development Corporation, officers of RLM, SDD and other concerned officials.
Speaking during the meeting, Dr. Samoon emphasised upon the officers that the SHG members need proper hand holding and skilling for making them more profitable besides it will help them to compete with the modern trends in today’s fast pacing world.
The Principal Secretary highlighted that the SHG members should be equipped with skills of all kinds of advanced technologies in fashion designing, tailoring, cosmetology, fruit processing and other trades so that they don’t face any hindrance while running their business units in any part of Jammu and Kashmir.
While reviewing the plan for training of SHG members through SDD, Dr. Samoon asked the officers that on pilot basis a batch of 3000 women members of different SHGs from all districts of Jammu and Kashmir will be trained and skilled by the department in trades which are relevant to their businesses.
He directed the MD, RLM to work in convergence with the SDD and create a batch of those SHG members who have links with the trades and courses run by SDD from different ITIs.
The Principal Secretary also asked the officers that the possibility of hiring the ITI pass outs of different trades and courses should also be looked into for proper hand holding and training of these SHG members.
Speaking during the meeting, Dr. Sehrish Asgar informed the Principal Secretary that the RLM has created a batch of around 3000 women who are dealing in businesses like fashion designing, dress making, Sewing technology, fruit & vegetable processing, basic cosmetology, urdu calligraphy, bee keeping, wood carving, shawl making etc and need proper skilling for increasing the value of their business units.
The Mission Director further informed the Principal Secretary that the RLM has been successful in facilitating the SHGs to access various financial Institutions for loans, which is significant for establishing their livelihoods.
