Latest news with #SRLM
Time of India
05-06-2025
- Business
- Time of India
SRLM project plans to collect milk from all UP villages
Lucknow: The state rural livelihood mission (SRLM) under the rural development department has initiated the process of drawing up a blueprint for a project envisaging the collection of milk from all villages across 75 districts of UP under a coordinated market system. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The project envisions the replication of Balinee Milk Producer Company, a successful venture that started in the Bundelkhand region in 2019 under the Companies Act, 2013. Headquartered in Jhansi, the 'Milk Value Chain' project has been collecting milk from farmers, essentially women, in the Bundelkhand region. The project aims to safeguard the interest of member producers (exclusively women) by providing year-round access to organised markets in a fair and transparent manner, timely payment, capacity building and providing livestock support services to increase milk productivity, aiming for the social and economic empowerment of women dairy farmers, said officials. Just like Balinee, the Samarth Milk Producer Company is collecting milk in Rae Bareli, Sultanpur, Pratapgarh, Ayodhya, Kanpur Nagar and Amethi districts. Similarly, Kashi Milk Producer Company is collecting milk in Ballia, Mirzapur, Sonbhadra, Ghazipur, Chandauli, Varanasi and Sant Ravidas Nagar. The Baba Gorakhnath Kripa Milk Producer Company is collecting milk in Gorakhpur, Maharajganj, Kushinagar and Deoria. Srijani Milk Producer Company is collecting milk in Bareilly, Pilibhit, Sitapur, Lakhimpur Kheri, Shahjahanpur and Rampur through women groups. SRLM sources said that around 2.64 lakh women milk farmers have been linked under the project in 4,961 villages across 31 districts of the state. SRLM mission director, Deepa Ranjan said that the remaining districts would soon be covered under the project. She said that around 30,000 women of the groups reached the category of 'lakhpati didi' through producer companies. "These women farmers are collecting 7.1 lakh lt of milk daily, which the companies are selling in the market. This organised system has not only increased the income of women, but they are also ensuring a fair price," she said. Sources said that the project will focus on setting up basic infrastructure such as bulk milk coolers (BMCs), testing equipment and reliable transport networks to prevent spoilage and ensure timely delivery.
Time of India
11-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Changemakers who turned gamechangers: UP's SRLM trains women as local leaders to boost rural economy
LUCKNOW: It was a chilly Dec morning of 2021 when the cellphone of Priyanka Maurya, a local State Rural Livelihood Mission (SRLM) functionary in Sultanpur, was a call from a state govt official who broke what was indeed a big news – Priyanka, a local banking correspondent Sakhi (BC-Sakhi), was adjudged the best performing worker in providing mobile banking services to the locals at the peak of the pandemic and was now scheduled to be felicitated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.'It was the biggest day of my life. Everything changed since then,' recalls a beaming moves door to door to help people deposit and withdraw money from their bank accounts and subsequently submits all the records at the local Bank of Baroda branch, which acts as her individual turnover has often ranged around Rs 2 crore per month – fetching her a commission of around Rs 50,000 per month.'This is a sizable amount that helps me support my family and makes me feel proud,' said Priyanka, who also got felicitated by chief minister Yogi Adityanath in is not alone. UP has nearly 40,000 BC Sakhis who have carried out nearly 13.5 lakh bank transactions in the state. The transaction amount has been a whooping Rs 34,588 crore and the 'Sakhis' have earned a commission of nearly Rs 95 concept of 'Sakhi' that seeks to empower women has, in fact, many versions like Vidyut Sakhi, Samuh Sakhi, and Krishi Ajivika like BC Sakhis, Vidyut Sakhis are essentially entrusted to collect electricity bills, primarily in rural Shukla is one of them.A resident of Silauta village in Barabanki, Rajshree has been offering essential service to her community by collecting electricity bills by going door to door. In the financial year 2024-25, Rajshree collected around Rs 9 crore, which translated into a commission of over Rs 12 lakh Vidyut Sakhi initiative was launched by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath in May 2020. UP now has more than 30,000 identified Vidyut Sakhis. Over 13,900 of them have collected over Rs 1,870 crore in UP in the past four years, earning Rs 24.6 crore in commission, since the launch of the initiative.'The uniqueness of the Sakhi project is its structure. Besides being women oriented, the entire programme is internally well connected,' says Deepa Ranjan, Mission Director of the State Rural Livelihood Mission (SRLM).The Sakhi initiative has also been tweaked to be rechristened as 'Didi'. For instance, Alpana Devi, a resident of Mandirar village in Bijnor, has been nicknamed 'Drone Didi' for her pioneering use of drone technology in rural applications, which has had a significant impact on her all started in 2023 when Alpana joined a local self-help group (SHG) and got an opportunity to get trained in flying used drones to increase worm productivity, monitor crop health, identify pest infestations, and assess water requirements. This technology enabled the precise application of pesticides and insecticides, reduced labour costs and environmental approach improved yields and brought about more sustainable varieties. She also applied drone technology for surveying and mapping. Creating detailed land maps helped resolve land problems and improved land management. Her work also included planning and monitoring rural infrastructure projects such as roads and irrigation systems, allowing better implementation and maintenance, according to an internal draft record of SRLM. UP SRLM cadre system identifies and trains local women to become community resource persons. These cadres mobilize rural women into SHGs, fostering collective action and financial discipline. The cadre system creates a robust network that enhances savings, access to credit, and income-generating activities, injecting vitality into the rural economyCadres provide hands-on training in skills like bookkeeping, financial literacy, entrepreneurship, and sustainable livelihood practices (for example, farming, animal husbandry, or handicrafts). This empowers rural women to diversify their income sources beyond traditional agricultureCadres such as Bank Sakhis assist SHG members in opening bank accounts, securing loans and managing funds like the revolving fund and community investment fund provided under linking SHGs to formal banking systems and govt schemes, the cadre system ensures a steady flow of capital into rural households, encouraging investment in micro-enterprisesThe cadre system supports women in setting up micro-enterprises by helping them develop livelihood business plans and connecting them to markets, technology, and resourcesSRLM cadres work to integrate SHGs with schemes from ministries like agriculture, animal husbandry, and micro, small & medium enterprises. This convergence amplifies the economic impact by providing rural women with assets, subsidies, and technical support, fostering a multiplier effect on rural growthThe Lakhpati Didi Initiative aims to enable SHG members to earn a sustainable annual income of at least Rs 1 lakh, transforming them into 'Lakhpati Didis'. The UP SRLM cadre system is instrumental in achieving this goalThe cadre system's efforts have a cascading effect. Empowered women reinvest their earnings into education, healthcare, and household improvements, stimulating local demand and economic activity
Time of India
21-04-2025
- Time of India
Court rejects anticipatory bail to ex-IFS officer Belwal, 2 others
Bhopal: A special court for Economic Offences Wing (EOW) cases on Monday rejected the anticipatory bail pleas of former Indian Forest Service (IFS) officer Lalit Mohan Belwal , Sushma Rani Shukla, and Vikas Awasthi in connection with a case involving illegal appointments and financial irregularities in the State Rural Livelihood Mission (SRLM). Belwal, who served as the Chief Executive Officer of SRLM, is accused of misusing his official position between 2015 and 2023 to make unauthorized appointments and embezzle funds meant for rural women's insurance schemes. According to the EOW, Belwal made unauthorized appointments to key posts, including State Project Manager, by bypassing official procedures and ignoring objections from the departmental minister and senior officials. He also allegedly tampered with official files to carry out these appointments. Appointed ineligible individuals, including Sushma Rani Shukla, and her relatives — Devendra Mishra, Anju Shukla, Mukesh Gautam, Omkar Shukla, and Akanksha Pandey — to various positions within the Mission. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like News For Jack Nicholson, 87, He Has Been Confirmed To Be... Reportingly Undo The officer has also been accused of approving excessive honorariums, increasing payments by up to 40%, while disregarding norms related to the Cost of Living Index. In a separate charge, Belwal is alleged to have collected Rs 300 per woman from 81,647 women under the Community-Based Micro Insurance (Bima) Yojana. The funds — totalling Rs 1.73 crore — were allegedly collected without proper government approval, and no insurance policies were issued in return. The case came to light after RK Mishra lodged a complaint with the EOW on February 12, 2024. When no significant action followed, he approached the Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) Court, which, considering the seriousness of the allegations, directed the EOW to submit a status report by March 28. Subsequently, an FIR was registered, and the investigation confirmed that Belwal had committed irregularities while holding a government post. His actions were in violation of rules, and departmental instructions were deliberately overlooked. The special court's rejection of anticipatory bail indicates that the allegations are serious and backed by substantial preliminary evidence. All three accused — Belwal, Shukla, and Awasthi — may face arrest as the investigation continues. The EOW is now expected to intensify its probe, and further legal action is likely in the coming days.
