BHUBANESWAR: In a bid to promote entrepreneurship among women, the State government has collaborated with New Delhi-based Apparel Made-ups and Home Furnishing Sector Skill Council (AMHSSC) for skill development of SHG members.
The department of Mission Shakti on Friday inked a pact with AMHSSC to launch the initiative for skill development of 10,000 Mission Shakti SHG members on apparel manufacturing. The move will ensure production of skilled manpower in the apparel sector, provide self-employment opportunities and create organised micro-enterprises in the local apparel industry through active participation of skilled SHG members.
While SHGs have been engaged in stitching and supply of uniforms for pre-schools, schools and other academic institutions under the unique livelihood convergence model of Mission Shakti, the initiative will promote entrepreneurship through formation of micro enterprises of SHGs.
"The State government is committed to the promotion of entrepreneurship among women. The collaboration with AMHSSC aims at improving livelihood opportunities of 10,000 SHG members through skilling on market-focused skills and entrepreneurship promotion on apparel," said Commissioner-cum-Secretary of Mission Shakti department Sujata R Karthikeyan.
The initiative will enhance the abilities of SHG members with basic tailoring skills to a higher level of tailoring along with basic dress design in order to increase market employability.
It will further equip SHGs and producer groups (PGs) with the necessary skills and opportunities for year-round engagement in order to ensure the long-term viability of tailoring units. "AMHSSC will also facilitate strategic and feasible industry partnership with the apparel sector as part of this collaboration," CEO and Director General of AMHSSC Roopak Vasishtha said.
The project will be executed over a period of 18 months. Post-training, AMHSSC will assist the SHG members in establishing their tailoring units and offer hand-holding support. More than 1,500 NGOs in the districts have been engaged by the Women and Child Development and Mission Shakti departments for stitching and supply of pre-school uniforms.