Udupi: In a bid to empower rural women self-help groups and make them financially self-reliant, the central and state governments have established Karnataka's first Livelihood Services Centre at Alevoor Gram Panchayat in Udupi district.
Funded jointly by the central and state governments on a 60:40 ratio under the National Rural Livelihood Mission, this new initiative is implemented through Sanjivini Federations across Gram Panchayats to support farmers. The entire management of this center will be handled by the Sanjivini Federation.
Under the Sanjivini project, Integrated Farming Clusters (IFC) are being set up in all districts to assist the livelihood activities of small and marginal women farming families within the self-help groups.
The initiative aims to address challenges such as unnecessary and unscientific high expenses on livelihood services, minimal value addition to produced goods, and a lack of knowledge regarding market connectivity. To benefit a large number of women farmers and the community, this center has been launched under the Integrated Farming Cluster project with the goal of overall development in the agriculture sector and financial empowerment of rural women.
Alevoor as Nodal Gram Panchayat
A total of 21 integrated agricultural clusters have been identified in the district, with three allotted per taluk. Alevoor is the nodal Gram Panchayat for Udupi taluk. Manipur, Bommarabettu, Atrady, and Udyavara Gram Panchayats fall under its jurisdiction. Under this project, an integrated farming cluster covering three to five neighboring villages or Gram Panchayats within a hobli will benefit 300 to 350 women farming families.
Samruddhi Sanjivini Federation Selected
The selection of the Sanjivini Federation under the project is finalized by a high-level committee including the Zilla Panchayat CEO. The selection is based on reports from Gram and Taluk Panchayats, evaluating the active participation and performance of the federation. In Udupi, the Samruddhi Sanjivini Federation of Alevoor was selected.
How does it operate?
The women of the federation will manage all the machinery from the Livelihood Centre. Federation members from different Gram Panchayats under the nodal panchayat will provide information based on local demand, and the machinery will be rented out accordingly. For instance, while a tractor is rented out at Rs 900 per hour, all available machinery will be provided on a rental basis. The revenue generated will be utilized for machinery maintenance and the welfare of the Sanjivini Federation.
What are the facilities?
Under the scheme, the government provides machinery worth approximately Rs 20 lakh to the selected federation. Funding may increase based on regional agricultural produce. The Alevoor Sanjivini Federation has been sanctioned Rs 20 lakh, which has been used to purchase modern agricultural equipment for rental purposes. One tractor, one rotavator, one cultivator, and coconut and areca nut tree climbing machines have been purchased.
The state's first Livelihood Services Centre has started in Udupi and will be managed by the women of the Sanjivini Federation. There is scope to receive grants ranging from Rs 20 lakh to Rs 1 crore. The core objective of the mission is to improve rural living standards through value addition of agricultural produce and encouragement, said Venkatesh Amboovi, State Programme Manager, Agricultural Livelihood Activities.