Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Shri Amit Shah launches various initiatives related to women empowerment and cooperation in Kollam, Keralam

Key Highlights:

• Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Shri Amit Shah launched various initiatives for women empowerment and cooperation in Kollam, Keralam.
• The She-Mart initiative was launched to directly connect women Self-Help Groups and rural women entrepreneurs with markets.
• Sale of affordable food products like Bharat Atta, Bharat Rice, and subsidized onions was flagged off through NAFED mobile vans.
• Initiatives like Mission for Aatmanirbharta in Pulses and NAFED-Kalyan Scholarship Scheme were also launched.
• Plans include establishing over 300 She-Mart stores across Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Karnataka.
• MoUs were exchanged for She-Mart expansion and integrating fisheries products with NCCF’s Janah brand.

Detailed Insights:

• The initiatives align with the Prime Minister’s vision of Sahkar se Samriddhi and strengthening the rural economy through women-led development.
• The Ministry of Cooperation was established to infuse new energy into rural development, agricultural growth, and women empowerment.
• Keralam's strong cooperative movement, pre-dating Independence, was highlighted as a national example.
• She-Mart aims to provide direct market access, with support from institutions like NAFED, Kendriya Bhandar, and Amul.
• Mission for Aatmanirbharta in Pulses provides urad and gram seeds to women farmers.
• NAFED-Kalyan Scholarship Scheme offers scholarships to girl children from farmer families.
• The government aims to create 6 crore Lakhpati Didis by 2029, empowering women to earn at least ₹1 lakh annually.
• Women's labour force participation has increased from 23% (2017-18) to approximately 40%, with 36 crore women's bank accounts opened.
• Measures like the prohibition of Triple Talaq, independent Haj for Muslim women, and 26 weeks of maternity leave were cited as steps for women's rights.
• Keralam's significant potential in the Blue Economy, particularly in fisheries and marine sectors, was emphasized for economic growth.
• NCCF’s Janah products and Vanitham She-Mart Shops were remotely inaugurated.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Sahkar se Samriddhi: A vision for prosperity through cooperation, emphasizing community-led and inclusive development.
• She-Mart: An initiative designed to provide direct market access and retail opportunities for products made by women Self-Help Groups.
• Lakhpati Didi: A government initiative aiming to empower rural women by enabling them to earn an annual household income of at least ₹1 lakh.
• Blue Economy: Sustainable use of ocean resources for economic growth, improved livelihoods, and the health of ocean ecosystems.