Govt to transform Najafgarh into a women-led micro-enterprise hub

New Delhi: Revenue Minister Kailash Gahlot on Friday interacted with 12 newly formed women self-help groups consisting of more than 120 women in Najafgarh, who are soon going to form Najafgarh's first area level federation (ALF) under the National Urban Livelihood Mission scheme.

This will unleash women's potential to generate meaningful and sustainable livelihoods by providing credit and market linkages, suitable spaces, social security and relevant training.

It also aims to achieve universal financial inclusion, through opening of basic savings accounts, building saving habits, facilitating access to financial literacy, credit, affordable insurance, and remittance facilities. This is in line with Delhi government's Rozgar Budget which aims to create 20 lakh jobs over the next five years.

Speaking on the occasion, Gahlot said, "Under the leadership of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, my vision is to create Najafgarh a women-led micro-enterprise hub to support women empowerment and Delhi's Rozgar Budget by forming Delhi's first city-level women federation consisting of more than 1,000 women in Najafgarh. It will also become the biggest micro-finance institution in Delhi. Such grassroots institutions are essential for equitable economic development and to strengthen democracy."

A City-level Federation consists of 10 Area-level Federations, each Area-level Federation consists of 10 SHGs and each SHG consists of minimum10 members.

A student team consisting of more than 70 students from 3 colleges of Delhi — College of Vocational Studies, Aryabhatta College, and Netaji Subhash University of Technology have taken an initiative to support the Revenue Minister to achieve his vision of Delhi's first city-level women federation in Najafgarh. This team is led by the office of the revenue minister that will work with SHG members to establish self-sustaining large-scale business.

On this, the Revenue Minister said, "I'm confident this initiative by Delhi's entrepreneurial youth will lead to creation of sustainable women-led microenterprises in Najafgarh. CM Arvind Kejriwal has a firm belief in Delhi's youth potential to be an agent of change, and I'm glad to facilitate an opportunity for these 70 students to be so in Najafgarh." Gahlot further directed the officers concerned to expedite the process of forming the city-level women's federation in Najafgarh.