Context:
A self-help group (SHG) recently launched a flower nursery as part of the UMEED scheme in Budgam.
Relevance:
GS II: Government Policies and Interventions
UMEED Scheme
The UMEED scheme is part of the Jammu and Kashmir Rural Livelihoods Mission (JKRLM), which is a centrally sponsored initiative aimed at promoting self-dependence and self-sufficiency among women in the region. Here are the key aspects of the UMEED scheme and the JKRLM:
Key points:
- The UMEED scheme operates under the Jammu and Kashmir Rural Livelihoods Mission (JKRLM).
- It is designed to empower and support rural women, encouraging them to become self-sufficient.
- The primary objective of the scheme is to assist rural women in Jammu and Kashmir, particularly those from economically disadvantaged backgrounds.
- The scheme promotes women’s participation in small savings, ultimately enabling their Self-Help Groups (SHGs) to become bankable entities, often with access to reduced interest rates.
- UMEED supports women entrepreneurs by providing opportunities to exhibit and market their products.
- The scheme is implemented by the Jammu & Kashmir State Rural Livelihoods Society.
Jammu and Kashmir Rural Livelihoods Mission (JKRLM):
- JKRLM is a poverty alleviation program with a strong focus on women’s empowerment through self-managed and sustainable institutional platforms.
- It emphasizes financial inclusion and the development of sustainable livelihoods.
- The mission’s core goal is to reduce poverty by establishing robust grassroots institutions for marginalized communities in Jammu and Kashmir. This involves engaging them in viable livelihood initiatives to ensure long-term income improvements.
- JKRLM is an adaptation of the National Rural Livelihoods Mission (NRLM), which is a flagship program of the Government of India.
- The program provides rural women with various platforms at different levels, including self-help groups, Village Organizations, Cluster Level Federations, and Block Level Federations, all of which play a crucial role in the mission’s implementation.
