Kathua, In a significant step towards promoting self-employment and women empowerment, the UMEED Scheme is enabling rural women in Kathua district to earn sustainable livelihoods through collective entrepreneurship.
Under the initiative, a self-help group (SHG) comprising around 100 women from Village Palli has successfully ventured into small-scale businesses such as pickle-making and vegetable processing. These income-generating activities have provided the women with regular earnings and enhanced economic stability for their families.
The beneficiaries said that joining the UMEED group helped them gain confidence, skills, and financial independence. They expressed gratitude to the government for motivating and supporting them through training, handholding, and market linkages, which have played a crucial role in making them self-reliant.
Officials stated that the UMEED Scheme aims to strengthen women-led self-help groups, promote entrepreneurship, and improve rural livelihoods across Jammu and Kashmir. The success of the Palli village SHG stands as a model of how collective effort and institutional support can transform lives at the grassroots level.
The initiative continues to inspire more women in rural areas to come forward, participate in self-help groups, and contribute meaningfully to local economic development.
