SRINAGAR, Nov 09: UMEED scheme of Jammu and Kashmir Rural Livelihoods Mission (JKRLM) is providing wings to the aspirations of rural women who dream of becoming economically independent.

The Mission aims to reduce poverty by building strong grass-root institutions for the poor, engaging them in gainful livelihood interventions, and ensuring appreciable improvement in their income on a sustainable basis.

Through UMEED, hundreds of women are not only scripting their success stories in Jammu and Kashmir but are motivating others to come out of poverty and become successful entrepreneurs. UMEED is immensely helping women entrepreneurs to exhibit and market their products.

JKRLM is turning the wheel of transformation for J&K women to become progressive and self-employed entrepreneurs. The UMEED programme under JKRLM is a centrally sponsored scheme to encourage women to be self dependant and self sufficient. It also encourages women to make small savings so that their Self Help Groups (SHGs) eventually become bankable at reduced rate of interests.

Manzoor Ahmad Bhat, 36, and Rubi Jan, 32, couple from Nambal area of Ashmuqam started from nothing. Now they have four employees working for them with the help of UMEED scheme. The couple is very grateful to government which helped them earn decently and live a respectable life as well emerge as source of livelihood for others.

Similarly, in village Marta of Ramnagar, District Udhampur, many women directly benefitted from the UMEED scheme and they established their own businesses.