POONCH, SEPTEMBER 19: Deputy Commissioner Poonch Ashok Kumar Sharma today inaugurated a Food Service Enterprise (FSE) at Sub-District Hospital Surankote, being run by a women Self Help Group (SHG) associated with the Jammu and Kashmir Rural Livelihoods Mission (JKRLM) Surankote Block.
The move aims to provide livelihood opportunities to rural SHG women by engaging them in the food service sector and developing a sustainable community-based enterprise.
The Deputy Commissioner was accompanied by SDM Farooq Khan; ACD Shakeel Ahmed; DPM JKRLM Mohammad Nadeem, BPMs, BMO and other officers.
While appreciating the initiative, the Deputy Commissioner commended JKRLM and the women SHG for taking up the innovative enterprise and creating a sustainable livelihood opportunity at the local level. He appreciated the efforts being made to empower rural women through community-based enterprises and observed that such initiatives have the potential to generate employment while strengthening the economic participation of SHG members.
The Deputy Commissioner encouraged the enterprise members to expand services, increase income and make the venture sustainable in the long run.
The BPM Surankote Mudasir Ganai said the Food Service Enterprise was established in collaboration with NRO Kudumbashree to create better livelihood opportunities for women SHG in the food service sector.
The DPM JKRLM said that JKRLM is focusing on strengthening the skills of the women associated with the enterprise. He informed that the women will be sent to the Institute of Hotel Management (IHM) Srinagar, where they will receive specialised training in different culinary skills, food preparation and service.
He added that such initiatives are part of JKRLM’s efforts to facilitate sustainable livelihood opportunities for SHG members and help rural women transition from individual livelihood activities to viable community-based enterprises.
