Uttarakhand women are turning traditional skills, Aipan art and local products into livelihood opportunities with support from self-employment, skill development and PM Vishwakarma schemes.
Females in Uttarakhand are now transforming their traditional craft and available natural resources into income-generation opportunities through government initiatives that enable them to become self-dependent. Self-employment, skill development, traditional handicrafts and local produce are some of the avenues through which women are getting training and employment opportunities.
As per the information furnished by the office of the Chief Minister, various schemes like Mukhyamantri Swarojgar Yojana, skill development programs, Gram Utthan Yojana and PM Vishwakarma Yojana have been identified as means to generate livelihood options especially in rural India.
Self-Employment Schemes For Women
Through the Mukhyamantri Swarojgar Yojana and skill development programs, women are getting training based on their own interest and local requirements. Besides training, women are also getting assistance and guidance in the form of self-employment.
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Gram Utthan Yojana is another scheme that aims to help rural women get market opportunities for locally produced goods. This will not only help earn money in villages but can also be helpful to curb migration from villages.
Bhavna Sharma of Almora District Creates Opportunities Using Local Products
Bhavna Sharma from Peepaldhar village in the Chaukhutia region of Almora district is a case in point whereby traditional skills are harnessed to generate revenue.
Her efforts include making beautiful packaging for hill pulses. Her activities also cover pickles, Aipan paintings, Aipan frames, Aipan sarees, and crocheting.
The products created are assisting the participating women to look for other means of income while giving the traditional crafts a new outlook.
Aipan Arts Finds New Markets
Aipan, which is a traditional art form that is related to the culture of Uttarakhand, is now creating new products which appeal to the modern consumer needs.
Examples of such products are Aipan frames, sarees, and ornaments. In addition, better packaging of hill pulses and homemade products will make the local products more marketable.
PM Vishwakarma Unlocks New Prospects in Chamoli
As far as Chamoli district is concerned, the PM Vishwakarma scheme is being utilized to impart training, which will help link traditional crafts with modern technologies.
Individuals linked with traditional professions such as carpenters, blacksmiths and other kinds of craftsmen are being acquainted with skill development, modern tools and related entrepreneurial knowledge. Moreover, there is an effort to include women in this process, thus opening more options for job generation and self-employment.
Efforts to Enhance Packaging and Marketing Potential
The government of Uttarakhand is also making efforts to enhance the marketability of the products produced by the self-help groups of women and local entrepreneurs. Training, quality of products, packaging and marketing are some of the issues that are being addressed in this regard.
The overall idea is to help women transform their skill sets into sustainable income earning prospects through the process of linking traditional crafts of Uttarakhand with modern markets.
