A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed by the Jammu and Kashmir Rural Livelihoods Mission (Umeed) and Meesho, India's fastest-growing internet commerce company, to support the expansion of 1,800 Self-Help Groups (SHGs) by giving them an online platform to start and grow their businesses and to empower rural women entrepreneurs. Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha was present when the MoU was signed and exchanged at Raj Bhavan.
The Lt. Governor congratulated Meesho officials and women entrepreneurs from Self-Help Groups on the occasion and said that the collaboration will help rural communities build lives and livelihoods and give rural women entrepreneurs greater access to economic activities and financial independence.
He noted that the collaboration between Rural Livelihoods Mission and e-commerce behemoth Meesho is a crucial step in opening up Jammu and Kashmir's specialised products to a larger audience, giving SHGs a global market to expand their businesses, and making them Aatma-Nirbhar.
The distinctiveness of Jammu & Kashmir's arts and crafts, which range from shawls and carpets to phool kari, has brought them acclaim on a global scale. These women would be able to sell such things throughout India by going online with Meesho, increasing their visibility and their revenue. Their ambitions of obtaining financial independence will be realised with the aid of digital inclusion as they work as independent contractors and entrepreneurs.
Products made by these SHGs that can be sold online already exist, including items made from chabhari and bina grass, papier-mâché, essential oils, woollens, and crewel embroidery that are produced all over J&K. JKRLM Umeed was informed that it would offer all required assistance to help these female entrepreneurs become more digitally integrated through access to the internet and financial services.
According to the Lt. Governor, the partnership will give JKRLM and Meesho the chance to grow rural businesses from small beginnings to massive scales and transform the lives of rural women.
The Lt. Governor also emphasised the government's initiatives to support women entrepreneurs by creating powerful grassroots institutions that can promote long-lasting change.
We have been working for the past two years to reimagine the rural communities of Jammu and Kashmir and to provide strong market connections and e-commerce platforms to maximise the potential of artisans. The Lt Governor also noted that nearly every panchayat now has two female entrepreneurs and that more than 64,000 SHGs include about 5.5 lakh women.
These Self Help Groups are now the foundation of the rural economy thanks to women's increased access to economic opportunities. The Lt Governor stated that the MoU signed today would guarantee that the chosen participants in our Self Help Groups are empowered and that their full potential is achieved.
J&K has abundant talent in Handicraft, and through this cooperation, we will be able to empower a large number of women which in turn will empower the community as well as this Union Territory, he added.
Sh Sanjeev Barnwal, co-Founder and CTO, Meesho, said, “We are privileged to work with Umeed-JKRLM and the J&K Government to further our mission of democratizing e-commerce. Women entrepreneurs are a key growth engine of India’s economy and Meesho has empowered lakhs of them to succeed in the online world. Through this partnership, we hope to amplify our efforts in that direction and enable these Self-Help groups from J&K realize their full potential. We will provide them with all the tools and guidance they need to grow their business online with Meesho.
