“SAATH” a rural enterprise acceleration programme for SHG women of J&K was launched by Lt. Governor, Manoj Sinha on 1st September 2021. SAATH, an initiative of Jammu Kashmir Rural Livelihoods Mission (JKRLM) aims to contribute towards economic empowerment, development of rural women.
Addressing the Media here at Jammu, Mission Director Jammu Kashmir Rural Livelihoods Mission (JKRLM), Dr Syed Sehrish Asgar said that under this Programme “SAATH”, the SHG women entrepreneurs of rural areas will be provided mentoring and handholding support through intensive capacity Building workshops and one to one mentoring for upscaling their business ventures nationally and internationally.
She further informed that, a total of 8085 applicants across Jammu and Kashmir have applied for the Program, Highest applications were received from Baramulla District in the Kashmir Division; and district Doda, from Jammu division.
Adding Further the Mission Director JKRLM said that 500 enterprises (244 from Jammu and 257 from Kashmir Division) with the highest enterprise potential have been chosen for an intensive training program to be followed by mentoring while 5000 entrepreneurs will be exposed to various business enablement strategies including e-commerce sales, branding.
Dr Sehrish further briefed the media that 95% of the applicants reported to be operating within the state while the remaining 5% had operations nationally while as 45% applicants reported that given the right support they can offer employment to over 27000 rural women in the coming one year, with an average of 7.5 potential jobs being created per rural enterprise when supported through SAATH, while the remaining 55% applicants saw a new employment generation potential of around 2 persons per enterprise taking the total employment potential over 35000 in the UT of J&K. These 8000 odd SAATH programme applicants are employing approx 12000 employees presently, she added.
Adding further Dr Sehrish said that JKRLM will create an enabling environment for these rural women enterprises by creating a conducive ecosystem and facilitate to achieve the full potential of 35000 jobs and more in the UT of Jammu and Kashmir.
It is to mention that the program SAATH which has India SME Forum, a national resource organisation for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, as the implementing partner will launch its orientation program in Jammu from 21st September, with the selected rural Women for Jammu Division.
