Uttarakhand: Govt encourages women’s self-help groups to boost Covid-19-hit economy

Self-help groups (SHGs) for women, especially in the hilly areas of Uttarakhand, are playing a major role in reviving the Covid-19-hit economy. Identifying their potential in boosting the economy, the government has also taken some significant steps to encourage these SHGs.

Chief minister Trivendra Singh Rawat has also been emphasising on involving more women SHGs in economic activities. Traditionally, women in hilly areas of the state are majorly involved in agricultural activities, which Rawat said the government wants to change, by providing them skill development training through the rural growth centres and centres of excellence.

According to government officials, there are at least 30,000 SHGs involved in various economic activities ranging from producing organic agricultural products to making puja material and prasad for the shrines of Kedarnath and Badrinath.

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Alok Bhatt, chief minister Rawat’s economic advisor, said that the government is taking major steps to increase women’s involvement in the state’s economic activities.

“Their role cannot be ignored at all because the state itself was formed majorly due to their struggle. Also, they play an important role in almost all economic activities in the hilly areas,” said Bhatt.

“Keeping all this in mind, the government has taken various important steps like providing the SHGs interest-free loans of up to Rs5 lakh and even directly buying their products worth up to Rs1 lakh. This is meant to promote them and involve more women in economic activities,” he added.

“In the state foundation day event held in the summer capital of Gairsain, he had said that he wants to remove the bundle of hay from the heads of women in hilly areas by providing them skill development training. This would help them find a livelihood apart from just cutting grass for cattle of working in fields,” he said.

Stressing the importance of SHGs, the chief minister’s economic advisor also informed that the rural growth centres opened by the government in migration-affected areas of the state also largely dependent on the SHGs.

“Centres which focus on various economic activities like running a collective dairy, poultry farm or wool collection centre majorly involve women. The government believes that if the women are able to generate income, then their family’s financial condition will improve, which in turn will improve the economic condition of the state,” said Bhatt.

Hailing the role of women and women-centric SHGs in boosting the state economy, MC Sati, an economic expert and professor of Economics in Garhwal Central University, Srinagar in Pauri Garhwal district, said, “Women in the state contribute to 56% of labour, which is the highest rate in the country. So, their role in economic development can’t be ignored.”

“Also, with the migration of male members of the family from hilly areas, women are the ones who are involved in all economic activities like agricultural labour and selling of agricultural produce. They are the backbone of the hill economy,” said Sati, adding that promoting SHGs will largely help in improving the economy amid the pandemic.