Pulwama: Jammu and Kashmir government is taking several steps to ensure women in rural and urban areas are able to  live a better life by becoming self-employed.

Jammu and Kashmir National Rural Livelihoods Mission (JKNRLM) – Umeed is such a scheme that aims to reduce poverty by building strong grassroots institutions for the poor, engaging them in livelihood opportunities and ensuring sustainable improvement in their earnings, reports ANI.

NRLM scheme has been started in the country in June 2011. However, after the year 2019, the government started a large-scale campaign to bring the scheme door-to-door. Effective results are being obtained and women in every panchayat are adopting this scheme better by forming separate groups. Dahi women, who had to do household chores in the villages and have gradually become self-employed and have started to set up small business units, the news agency reported.

Yasmina Jan, a woman from Aorigund, a remote village of Tral area in South Kashmir,is now the first dry fruit seller from Tral region of the Valley under the JKNRLM scheme.

Several women, who have taken up entrepreneurship, have now set up JK Umeed Foods, a wholesale store of dry fruits, spices and pulses that supplies walnuts, almonds and other spices and pulses to vendors in the area and beyond.

Yasmina told ANI: "I have started this business and have been delivering the products manufactured here to the shopkeepers with the help of a salesman. The positive attitude of the shopkeepers and others has made me think about expanding my business. Now I want to make more items including different types of pickles."

She said she is trying to use social media platforms to reach out to more people.

“WhatsApp groups, statuses and Instagram are currently working here. I hope if there is a better advertisement, there are chances of much development,” she said.