Jammu (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], September 22 (ANI): 'SAATH', a rural enterprise acceleration programme for self help groups (SHG) women of JK was launched on September 1 by Lt. Governor Manoj Sinha, said a press release.

'SAATH', an initiative of Jammu Kashmir Rural Livelihoods Mission (JKRLM), aims to contribute towards the economic empowerment, development of rural women.

Mission Director Jammu Kashmir Rural Livelihoods Mission (JKRLM), Dr Syed Sehrish Asgar said, "Under this programme 'SAATH', the SHG (Self Help Group) women entrepreneurs of rural areas will be provided mentoring and handholding support through intensive capacity-building workshops and one-to-one mentoring for upscaling their business ventures nationally and internationally."She further said, "A total of 8,085 applicants across Jammu and Kashmir have applied for the programme," adding that the highest number of applications were received from Baramulla District in the Kashmir Division and district Doda, from the Jammu division.

She said that 500 enterprises (244 from Jammu and 257 from Kashmir Division) with the highest enterprise potential have been chosen for an intensive training programme to be followed by mentoring while 5000 entrepreneurs will be exposed to various business enablement strategies including e-commerce sales, branding.

She said that 95 per cent of the applicants reported to be operating within the state while the remaining 5 per cent had operations nationally, while 45 per cent of applicants reported that given the right support they can offer employment to over 27,000 rural women in the coming one year, with an average of 7.5 potential jobs being created per rural enterprise when supported through SAATH, while the remaining 55% applicants saw a new employment generation potential of around 2 persons per enterprise taking the total employment potential over 35,000 in the UT of JK. These 8000 odd SAATH programme applicants are employing approximately 12,000 employees presently.

She further said that JKRLM will create an enabling environment for these rural women enterprises by creating a conducive ecosystem and facilitate to achieve the full potential of 35,000 jobs and more in Jammu and Kashmir.

The Administration has roped in India SME Forum, a national resource organisation for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, as the implementing partner which has started an orientation program in Jammu with the selected rural women for Jammu Division.

Prahlad Kakkar, famous ad film director and Brand man of India, along with other noted personalities in this field are training these women.

Kakkar said that this is the first of its kind initiative in the country and will definitely help women's upliftment in the UT. (ANI)