Pics by: Spoorthi Ullal
Daijiworld Media Network-Mangaluru(JD)
Mangaluru, May 28: Dakshina Kannada Sthree Shakti district co-operative society, the first of its kind in the state, was launched at Town Hall in the midst of a gathering of members of the Sthree Shakti organizations from Dakshina Kannada, Udupi, Kodagu and Chikkmagaluru districts, on Saturday May 28.
Karnataka's forest and ecology minister and Dakshina Kannada district in-charge minister Ramanatha Rai launched the society by handing over the portrait of the certificate of registration to Laalimani, the president of Dakshina Kannada and Belthangady taluk Sthree Shakti sanghagala okkoota.
The programme was inaugurated by women and child welfare minister Umashree.
"The women of Dakshina Kannada have created history by not just unifying the various Sthree Shakti groups in the district, under the banner of Dakshina Kannada Sthree Shakti sanghagala okkoota but also forming the district level co-operative society under the Priyadarshini project of the department of co-operation. Through this achievement they have become a model for all other women. Earlier they had to be dependent on various banks for loans and various other financial facilities. Now they have their own financial institute and I have also requested the minister for co-operation and sugar, Mahadeva Prasad to extend this project to other districts so that Sthree Shakti members of the other districts will form their own financial institution," she said.
Various schemes for women and weaker sections of the society
"Many schemes have been implemented for the empowerment of women and people of weaker sections in the society. The state will implement the transgender policy soon and it has been paying pensions to the transgenders of late. The government will also provide pension to any unmarried woman who is above the age of 45 to support her daily needs. It has also increased the loan limit from Rs 2 lac per Sthree Shakti group to Rs 3 lac without interest," she informed the gathering.
Samruddhi and Dhanashree schemes
She further explained that the state government will implement the new schemes Samruddhi and Dhanashree soon. Under Samruddhi scheme every woman who is a roadside merchant will be given a loan of Rs 10,000 without interest. Under the Dhanashree scheme every HIV affetced woman will be given a loan of Rs 50,000 to lead a respectful life.
She inaugurated the solar lights in the various anganwadis in the district by switching on the mini solar unit. In addition, Umashree inaugurated the exhibition and sale of various products manufactured by the Sthree Shakti groups in the four districts.
Speaking on the occasion in-charge minister of the Dakshina Kannada district Ramanatha Rai said that the Sthree Shakti programme has been able to make women of the state financially independent. "The basic blocks of the Sthree Shakti programme are the anganwadis. If we develop the anganwadis we can be the reason for the overall development of children in rural areas."
The programme was presided over by the MLA of Mangaluru south constituency, J R Lobo.
Fisheries minister Abhayachandra Jain, MLA's Shakuntala Shetty, Mohideen Bawa, MLC Ivan D'Souza, MP Nalin Kumar Kateel and others were present at the occasion.