Panchayats dept takes measures to help sex workers earn a living
Kolkata: The state Panchayats and Rural Development (P&RD) department has partnered with Durbar Mahila Samannay Committee (DMSC) – an organisation of sex workers in Bengal with an aim to form self help groups with these women and handhold them so that they can earn a livelihood.
The sex workers are
among the worst sufferers amidst the COVID-19 pandemic situation and are badly in need of some alternative employment.
"We are including them under the State Rural Livelihood Mission (SRLM) and have started pilot projects in four areas in the state that includes Sasan in Baruipur, South 24 Parganas, Kalna in East Burdwan, Konnagar in Hooghly and Siuri in Birbhum to empower these women through formation of SHG's," said a senior official of the department. West Bengal Comprehensive Area Development Corporation under the aegis of P& RD department has already formed groups of these women that includes Hingalganj in North 24-Parganas and are using them in fish cutting and processing and also in packaging of its various products. The CADC office at Mrittika in Salt Lake has recently employed six women who are working in its canteen and also in packaging of its products.
There are around 37 lakhs of women under DMSC and CADC believes that the aim of SRLM cannot be fully realised if the entire community of sex workers remain out of its coverage area. The SHGs formed with these sex workers will be first provided basic training in bank operations and then will be offered training in agriculture, sewing, farming depending upon the respective choices of the group. This entire process will take at least a year when the SHGs will be self
sufficient to earn their own livelihood.
A senior CADC official reiterated that its objective is not limited to business and profit making like many other corporations under the state government. "We are engaged in developing a holistic synergy – by providing support to the marginalised people of the society through formation of SHG's and helping them in earning a livelihood. We are preparing a district wise database of such marginalised people across the state," said a senior CADC official.
The ultimate aim of the department is to mould the SHGs into Farmer Producer Company (FPO) so that they can avail benefits from central government schemes in this regard. CADC has set a target of forming 70 FPOs across the state before the Durga Puja this year.
