Lucknow, 13 July: In a unique initiative to create employment opportunities for rural women entrepreneurs, the Uttar Pradesh government has engaged women self-help groups in growing new varieties of sugarcane seedling nurseries.
Seed cane nursery and its distribution is bringing about socio-economic upliftment to over 59,000 women, associated with 3,004 women self-help groups in Uttar Pradesh. These women have produced over 24.41 crore seedlings through the single bud and bud chip technique.
According to a spokesperson of the state government, under the Deendayal Antyodaya National Rural Livelihood Mission, the emphasis is on providing bank loans for women self-help groups and encouraging entrepreneurship. Through the creation of women employment in cane farming, the government aims to generate income for these women and improve their standard of living.
UP, being the country?s biggest sugarcane growing and producing state, has over 27 lakh hectares under cane cultivation, the spokesperson said adding that the distribution of advanced seeds by rural women is setting new dimensions of success. Under this scheme, so far 3,004 women self-help groups have been formed in 37 sugarcane-producing districts of the state. Over 24 crore seedlings have been produced through these groups formed by women entrepreneurs, earning them an average yearly income of Rs 1.7 lakh per group, he said.
Apart from this, the members of their families have also received a total income of Rs 1.7 crore from transplanting the plants prepared by the women self-help groups. So far 58,905 rural women have been provided self-employment through this scheme and total employment of 1,52,440 working days has been created, he added.
For this purpose, the Sugarcane Department in Uttar Pradesh is imparting training to rural women under the National Food Preservation Scheme so that they can prepare the best sugarcane nurseries for the distribution of seeds. Necessary machines and equipment are being provided to women through grants as much as possible and with the help of Sugar mills, which opens new doors of employment for women in sugarcane farming
Jagriti Mahila Self Help Group of district Bulandshahr, Annapurna Mahila Self Help Group of district Bareilly, and Ganga Mahila Self Help Group from Saharanpur are already engaged in sugarcane seed production and are producing over 10 lakh saplings. The seeds are being developed through the single bud and tissue culture method, which are being extensively used in sugarcane farms across the state.
This has not just connected the rural women with employment but also quick availability of quality seeds has also been ensured. Especially, the new sugarcane varieties like Co 13235 Co 14201, and Co 15030, among others, the spokesperson said.
