Dinesh Manhotra

Over 25 women self-help groups, active in different parts of Kargil district of the Ladakh region, are bearing the brunt of the casual approach being adopted by the successive state governments as no serious efforts have been made to encourage or strengthen them.

Comprising 20-25 members, these groups are helping housewives and uneducated women earn their livelihood through different means, especially by growing vegetables and foodgrains to cater to the needs of the locals throughout the year.

“Over 25 women self-help groups are functioning actively in Kargil district. These groups have been playing an important role in improving the economic conditions of women by helping them earn their livelihood,” Asgar Ali Karbalaie, former MLA of Kargil, told The Tribune. He, however, regretted that the successive state governments had done nothing to strengthen these self-help groups or help these expand and involve more women in their work. Karbalaie regretted that for the last four years, he had been demanding support for these groups but nothing had been done by those at the helm of affairs.

“During the last Budget session of the Legislative Assembly, the state had announced on the House floor that a proposal for strengthening the women self-help groups in Kargil district has been submitted to the Union government. However, the previous PDP-BJP regime failed to pursue the same,” he said, adding that except promises, nothing had been done to encourage these groups.

Notably the state government had submitted a proposal of Rs 2,518 lakh to the agriculture secretary, Government of India, dated September 30, 2017, for the formation of women self-help groups in Kargil district and for the approval/release of funds.

“Except forwarding the proposal, the state government has done nothing serious to get it approved,” Karbalaie said.

Meanwhile, taking benefits of the availability of vast natural resources, women self-help groups have established greenhouses in far-flung areas of the district through solar energy. These greenhouses are helping women sustain domestically and commercially, especially during the winter spell in the region.

The local authorities, especially the Kargil council, are providing some subsidies to women self-help groups, but nothing concrete has been done by the successive state governments.

Courtesy:The Tribune,Jan14,2019