Weeklong women's skill up gradation programme launched at Imphal
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, March 18 2011:
Empowering women's skill development in strife-torn Manipur, a weeklong workshop-cum-skill up gradation on hand knitting and embroidery involving a whooping twentyone Self Help Groups (SHGs) was kicked off in Imphal East on Friday.
Besides safeguarding human rights, Manipuri women have also been playing a pivotal role in enhancing state economy since ages.
Over the last one decade, the state has seen thousands of successful women SHGs that deal in different tradeswool knitting, embroidery, mat making, micro-finance, packaging and different agro-based units.
Significantly Friday's programme was opened by industries minister Y Erabot Singh at his Porompat residence.
The remaining six days of the workshop would be held at the respective SHGs' locations.
It was Erabot who personally brought essential commodities to the state along the deplorable National Highway 53 (Imphal-Silchar route) when Manipur faced a commodity crisis amid Naga agitators' economic blockade on all national highways linking Manipur.
Manipur commerce and industries department also distributed Rs 20,000 each to the 21 SHGs that engaged in weaving, tailoring and hand knitting.
Th Arunkumar Singh, general manager of Imphal East's district industries centre under industries department said the amount was given for procuring materials by the respective women SHGs.