Srinagar, May 30: Undeterred by unrest and other odds, fifteen thousand female entrepreneurs are running their own business units in the Kashmir Valley, where a loan amount of Rs 2-lakh with 7 per cent interest subsidy is given to the beneficiaries for setting up their own Income Generating Units (IGUs).
Officials said here today that 554 women have become entrepreneurs during the last three years in the Kashmir Valley.
For self-employment, they said a loan amount of Rs 2-lakh with 7% interest subsidy is given to the beneficiaries under the component.
Officials said that out of 1,000 cases in the State, 792 such cases, including 248 in Srinagar, have been disbursed during 2016-17.
They said Industries Department has disbursed 1466 handicraft loans, including 849 to Hazratbal artisans for carpet looms.
They further said that 68 training centres for artisans of different kinds would be set up at various locations in Srinagar.
Officials said that the Women Development Corporation has formulated an Action Plan of Rs 38-crore for 1670 beneficiaries which has already been submitted.
The Corporation has provided training to 300 women in various crafts during the last three years, they said.
Officials said that Minister of state for Housing and Urban Development, Social Welfare, Health and Medical Education, Asiea Naqash, has asked the concerned department to ensure subsidies are paid without any delay and that transparency and accountability are maintained at all levels during the process of selection of trainees as well as loan cases.
The Social Welfare Minister during the meeting with officials of the Handicrafts Department yesterday stressed that focus of the Department should be on the protection of artisans and in this regard Department needs to facilitate their livelihood by implementing artisan friendly schemes.
The Minister, who is also represents the Hazratbal Constituency, directed the concerned Department to chalk out a framework to set up a cluster center in line with the needs of artisans.
She also said that a modern craft center would be set up at Rainawari for which Rs 25 lakh have been released to the concerned executing agency.
In the meeting with the UDAK, the Minister was informed that Action Plan worth Rs 38-crore has been sent to the Government of India for approval. The programme includes various components including skill development training, self-employment, self-help groups for women, support for urban street vendors and shelter for the urban houseless persons. (Agencies)
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