Pulwama, Aug 7: The Jammu and Kashmir Rural Livelihoods Mission (JKRLM–UMEED) has emerged as a major force for women-led rural entrepreneurship, with nearly 96,000 Self-Help Groups (SHGs) comprising around 8.5 lakh rural women now associated with the Mission across Jammu and Kashmir.

Secretary, Rural Development Department and Panchayati Raj, Mohammad Aijaz Asad, made these remarks during his visit to Pulwama and Srinagar, where he inspected women-run “Umeed Ka Zaika” Food Service Enterprises (FSEs) at Awantipora and Srinagar.
The enterprises, established under JKRLM’s flagship women-led initiative with technical support from Kudumbashree, are managed entirely by SHG members. The Mission provides infrastructure, capacity building, technical assistance and continuous handholding to help women establish sustainable businesses and generate regular incomes.
Asad also inaugurated and flagged off vehicles provided to SHG members of Pulwama under the Aajeevika Grameen Express Yojana (AGEY). The initiative seeks to improve last-mile connectivity in rural areas while creating self-employment opportunities for women entrepreneurs.
Inspecting an eco-friendly vehicle procured under AGEY, Asad said JKRLM had provided more than ₹6 lakh in financial assistance for its purchase. He said the initiative was helping address transport gaps in remote villages while providing rural women with stable and dignified livelihoods.
Interacting with SHG members, Asad appreciated their entrepreneurial efforts and said women-led enterprises were creating a new sense of confidence and economic independence among rural women.
“Our objective is to ensure that our sisters become financially independent and emerge as successful rural entrepreneurs capable of managing sustainable enterprises,” he said, adding that JKRLM would continue introducing innovative farm and non-farm livelihood initiatives to diversify rural incomes.
He said the Mission had become an important instrument for promoting livelihood generation, financial inclusion and women empowerment, enabling rural women to become active contributors to the socio-economic development of their communities.
Managing Director, JKRLM, Dr Shubhra Sharma said the Mission remained committed to empowering rural women through sustainable livelihood opportunities under SHGs and Cluster Level Federations (CLFs).
She said AGEY vehicles were also being promoted to improve rural connectivity while generating employment for women entrepreneurs.
Dr Sharma said JKRLM was strengthening women through financial inclusion, bank-credit linkages, livelihood promotion, leadership development and capacity building, enabling them to achieve greater economic independence and participate actively in community development.
The Mission, officials said, will continue expanding women-led enterprises and introducing innovative livelihood interventions across Jammu and Kashmir.