It could not have been at a better time in the shape of a stimulus for the poverty alleviation programme under the National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM) for the two Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh by approving a special package of Rs. 520 crore by the Union Cabinet headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. At a time when inducting more liquidity in the system to fight the dormancy in the economy and reviving economic activities is increasingly required, providing adequate funds under the Mission to the two UTs will come handy in implementing the provisions of the Mission. If the enumeration about the special package by the Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting Prakash Javadekar is seen, the same is in line with Central Government’s aim to universalize all central sponsored beneficiary oriented schemes in a time bound manner in the two UTs. Not only shall the initiative enable the rural poor to increase household income by accessing financial services but shall create livelihood opportunities too.
The package, however, will be spread over a period of five years of 2020-24 and funding will be on a demand driven basis without linking allocation with poverty ratio during the extended period. The most important aspect being the manner of implementation which should be in transparent manner and must reach the targeted sections. Today’s rural poverty needs to be seen from not a narrow and conservative angle as substantial progress in individual household incomes has occurred gradually over the years but the unexpected stains emanating from the current Coronavirus has upset all equations. However, necessary data must be in readiness to identifying the poor in the rural areas so as to ensure the benefits reached them. Looking slightly away from its tremendous advantages in the rural areas through the Mission, it is fairly loaded with further improving ”Ease of Living” for the people of Jammu and Kashmir and also of Ladakh on the whole. It is, however, a fact that Jammu and Kashmir as also Ladakh had never witnessed liberal and adequate Central aid as witnessed since 2014 which is manifestation of the due consistent concern and interest shown by the Central Government in the erstwhile State and also with the same measure after fragmenting the same into two Union Territories.
How much funding was required and what could be the pattern of releasing funds must all have been as a consequence and the outcome of the evaluation process linked to potential of the Mission to bring about improvement in quality of life of the rural household and women empowerment. Since as already mentioned, the pattern and the structure of rural poverty in Jammu and Kashmir is slightly different compared to other parts of the country, technically only a few women were found eligible under the Mission hence the Central Government having changed the criteria for the two UTs for women eligibility in order to get more numbers under the coverage of the mission is a needed right step and highly commendable. With this relaxation of the guidelines, as many as 10.58 lakh women from the two UTs shall get benefitted from the Mission which is really worth noting.
The honesty and the will to repay loans by the women beneficiaries can be seen and eulogised even that 7 crore women, as members of the self help groups which are more than 63 lakh in number, having been granted loans of Rs. 3 lakh crore have struck a wonderful repaying track record which has resulted in occurring of just 2.3 % of the total NPAs which by any standard, is encouraging. This was surely going to prove the veracity, purpose, efficacy and the net utility of the NRLM which now is slated to reach additional 10 crore women of the country out of which as many as 10 lakh are from Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. Providing multiple livelihoods for the rural poor households through such schemes were bound to engage the beneficiaries in gainful employment like micro livelihood plans which technically means providing employment to the unemployed in this vital area of our economy besides achieving set goals under Antyodaya.
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