Kupwara, Dec 30: District Administration Kupwara, in collaboration with the District Employment & Counselling Centre (DE&CC) Kupwara and JKNRLM Kupwara, today organized a Women Entrepreneurship and Self-Help Group (SHG) Mela at Town Hall, Kupwara.

The event witnessed an overwhelming response from Self-Help Groups, aspiring women entrepreneurs, established women entrepreneurs, and a large number of participants from across the district. Several successful SHG entrepreneurs set up stalls to showcase and market their unique products. Line departments including the Agriculture Department, Fisheries, District Industries Centre (DIC), Handicrafts and Handloom Department, and the Mission YUVA Helpdesk also installed informative stalls on the occasion.
The stalls showcased a wide range of handmade apparel, handicrafts, dairy products, and agri-allied products, reflecting the diverse livelihood initiatives promoted under JKRLM–Umeed and Mission YUVA.
The programme was presided over by Additional District Development Commissioner (ADDC) Kupwara, Mufti Fareed-ud-Din as the Chief Guest. He visited various stalls, interacted with women entrepreneurs, and appreciated their efforts towards self-reliance and economic empowerment.
During the programme, several successful women entrepreneurs shared their inspiring entrepreneurial journeys, highlighting challenges, opportunities, and the role of government initiatives in their growth.
The Women Entrepreneurship and SHG Mela recorded enthusiastic participation from SHG members and local women entrepreneurs representing different blocks of the district. The Mela served as an important marketing platform, providing direct customer interaction to women entrepreneurs, enabling them to enhance their income, improve product quality through customer feedback, and build confidence as independent business owners.
The District Administration Kupwara, in collaboration with Mission YUVA and JKRLM, is utilizing this initiative to strengthen women-led enterprises, encourage branding and formalization of SHG products, and motivate more rural women to join SHGs and adopt sustainable livelihood opportunities.
To further engage and motivate budding women entrepreneurs, Mission YUVA songs and informative videos were played during the programme.
On the sidelines of the event, Ishfaq Ahmad Wani, Employment Officer, DE&CC Kupwara, briefed the participants about the financial support and assistance available under Mission YUVA.
Certificates of appreciation were distributed among the successful women entrepreneurs by the Chief Guest in recognition of their achievements and contributions.