Leveraging Self -Help Groups

Upskilling and providing self-employment opportunities to migrant and other labourers, with a particular focus on women, through self-help groups

As many as 2 lakh migrants flooded back to Siddharthnagar District—the highest in Uttar Pradesh—in the wake of the Covid-19 lockdown. The crisis presented a unique opportunity to the district administration to ensure the migrants got employment opportunities. So, Siddharthnagar Administration took the initiative of upskilling and providing self-employment opportunities to migrant and other labourers, focusing particularly on women, through self-help groups.

Through krishi vigyan kendras and Rural Self-Employment Training Institute, the district administration conducted multiple trainings of women who were part of self-help groups. As many as 2231 migrant women workers had been added to SHGs formed in the district till the end of July. Trainings were conducted in the fields of mushroom production, tailoring, backyard poultry farming, creating vegetable nursery, bee-keeping and goat-rearing.

A beneficiary for training was selected on the basis of them being a member of a self-help group, with preference given to returned migrant women workers or spouses of such labourers, and those belonging to SC/ST/OBC communities or other vulnerable groups such as widows.

The training was supplemented with a community investment fund under the National Rural Livelihood Mission Scheme. A fund of Rs 1.10 lakh was given to each SHG for internal lending and capital investment. This turned out to be a boon for the women who were trained.

These groups’ products are also supplied to various government departments. For example, women trained in stitching are involved in making uniforms for children in government schools, thus aligning the initiative with the Prime Minister’s vision of Aatmanirbhar Bharat.

Source : Empowering Migrant Workers through Skill Development and Livelihood Generation