In a historic step to make Lakhpati Didis (Women with annual earnings of Rs. 1 lakh and more) from the Self Help Groups (SHGs), the Ministry of Rural Development today signed an Memorandum of Understanding with the Ministry of Ayush to collaborate in developing skilled personnel by imparting training to rural poor youth and women’s for Ayush healthcare system under the Deen Dayal Upadhyaya-Grameen Kaushalya Yojana (DDU-GKY).
Speaking on the occasion, the Union Minister of Panchayati Raj and Rural Development Shri Giriraj Singh said the target of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi to have 10 Crore SHG members by 2024 will be achieved as the Ministry of Rural Development is working on a proactive mode to enroll new women Sakhis (members).
Shri Giriraj Singh said, in May, 2014 when PM Modi took charge, there were 2.35 Crore SHG members, but with a focused approach to empower rural poor women in the last 9 years, the number of SHG members has swelled to more than 9 Crore and will touch 10 crore members by 2024.
“This MoU will be a landmark in empowering women Self-Help Groups and rural poor youth. Initial target is to train large number of women, which will be increased going forward. We will give priority to Self-Help Groups,” he said.
In his address, Minister of AYUSH & Ports, Shipping & Waterways, Shri Sarbananda Sonowal said, under the able guidance of the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, India successfully overcame the challenges posed by Covid and Chikungunya and AYUSH played a major role in fighting back the threat posed by these deadly diseases. Exports of AYUSH (Ayurveda, Yoga, Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy) and herbal products in the last five years till the fiscal year 2021-22 has registered a growth of 41.5 per cent growth in terms of volume, he said.
“Both the ministries will collaborate in boosting the spirit of self-employment. This will enable empowerment of rural youths and women. This will increase employment opportunities in rural areas. I hope both ministries will continue to explore similar associations, where we can work together for betterment of society,” he said.
The MoU was signed by Shri Karma Zimpa Bhutia, Joint Secretary (Skills), Ministry of Rural Development and Dr. Manoj Nesari, Advisor (AYUSH), Ministry of AYUSH in the presence of the two Union Ministers.
Through this MoU it is expected to create synergy and convergence between both ministries, and enable fulfilment of larger goal of community development and poverty alleviation in rural areas. Both sides also agreed to set up a Joint Working Group, through which other activity of mutual interest may be identified and joint worked upon by Ministry of Rural Development & Ministry of Ayush.
Also present on the occasion were Dr. Munjpara Mahendrabhai Kalubhai, Minister of State, Ministry of Ayush and Women & Child Development, Shri Shailesh Kumar Singh, Secretary (RD), Shri Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha, Secretary (Ayush), Shri Pramod Kumar Pathak, Special Secretary (Ayush), Dr. Tanuja Nesari, Director, All India Institute of Ayurveda and other officials of Ministry of Rural Development and Ministry of AYUSH.
Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana (DDU-GKY) is one of the flagship poverty alleviation programs which was launched on 25th September 2014 under National Rural Livelihoods Mission, Ministry of Rural Development which is aimed at skilling the poorest of the poor youth between the ages of 15 and 35 years from Rural India. It is critical for the country to develop itself as the skill hub of the nation as well as the world. As a part of the Skill India campaign, it plays an instrumental role in supporting the social and economic programs of the government like the Make in India, Digital India, Smart Cities and Start-Up India, Stand-Up India campaigns to position India as the globally preferred manufacturing hub, while dovetailing its efforts to significantly contribute in other flagship programs of the nation. A total of 13.88 lakh candidates have been trained and 8.24 lakh candidates have been placed under DDU-GKY so far.
The collaboration between Ministry of Rural Development and Ministry of AYUSH will also ensure the training of 22000 rural poor youth under NSQF compliant courses namely Panchakarma Technician, Panchkarma Assistant, Ayurvedic Masseur, Kshara Karma Technician, Cupping Therapy Assistant etc., under DDU-GKY and their placement in 1st phase. To facilitate this, Ministry of Rural Development will ensure funding i.e., Central Government and State Government on the basis of the criteria given for the DDU-GKY for training as per the DDU-GKY Norms and ensure monitoring of the program outcome as per DDU-GKY Guidelines.
Ministry of Rural Development and Ministry of AYUSH will also form a Joint Working Group in which officers of both the ministries will participate and will identify such other subjects on which work can be done under the whole of Government Approach and take the program forward.
Ministry of Rural Development and Ministry of Ayush will ensure that a nodal agency responsible is deputed for implementing these trainings to Rural Poor Youth under NSQF compliant courses and ensure their assessment, certification and placement and reporting of the same on DDU-GKY Kaushal Bharat Portal along with proof of placements.
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