IJCRR

IJCRR - 4(10), May, 2012

Pages: 28-32

Date of Publication: 25-May-2012

STRATEGIC ANALYSIS OF EFFECTIVENESS OF RURAL WOMEN SKILL DEVELOPMENT AND EMPOWERMENT SCHEMES OF GOVERNMENT IN CHANDRAPUR DISTRICT OF MAHARASHTRA STATE OF INDIA

Author: Siddharth N. Madare

Category: General Sciences

Abstract:The main objective of this study provides a strategy for women?s Skill development and empowerment for rural development. Empowerment can enable women to participate, as equal citizens, in the economic, political and social sustainable development of the rural communities. The findings outlined in this paper suggest that, designed and implemented in ways that meet rural women?s diverse needs, community participation processes that can be important to facilitating social, political and psychological empowerment in terms of rural development. The findings of this investigation can assist rural developers in the implementation of community development strategies based on women?s Skill development and empowerment.

Full Text:

INTRODUCTION Women have been the most underprivileged and discriminated strata of the society not only in India but the world over. Inspire of all Government and Non-Government effort, they have been highly ignorant clients of the financial sector. In the recent times, Government Policies has been emerging as a Powerful instrument for empowering women particularly, the rural women. Poverty and unemployment are the major problems of any under developed countries, to which India is no exception. In India, at the end of ninth five year pan26.1% of the population was living below poverty line. In the rural area 27.1% of the population was living under poverty. The overall unemployment rate is estimated to 7.32%. The female unemployment rate is 8.5%. The rate of growth of women unemployment in the rural area is 9.8%. This is because of the low growth rate of new and productive employment. In the end of IX plan the rate of growth of implemented various schemes to reduce poverty and to promote the gainful employment. But the more attractive scheme with less effort (finance) is Government Policies. It is a too to remove poverty and improve the rural development (Sabyasachi Das. 2003).

Welfare Schemes of Government:
Following are a few Government Schemes, which aimed at empowerment of women, social welfare and rural development in different aspects:

1.Integrated development programme (IRDP)

2.Development of Women and Children in Rural Areas (DWRCA)

3. Training of Rural Youth for self-Employment (TRYSEM):

4. Jawahar Rozgar Yojana (JRY):

5. Professional women?s Development Network (PWDN):

6. NREGA:

7.Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY):

8. Indiara Awas Yojana (IAY):

9. Swarnajayanti Gram Swarozgar Yojana (SGSY):

10.Sampoorna Grameen Rozgar Yojana (SGRY)

11. Swarna Jayanti Shahari Rozgar Yojana (SJSRY):

Objectives:
The present study was made:
1. To assess the awareness of rural women skill development and empowerment, social welfare and rural development policies;
2. To know whether these schemes are beneficial to the rural people; and
3. To collect the feedback from the rural women on the social welfare programmes.

METHODOLOLGY
As discussed above, the present study was made in rural areas of Chandrapur district. It is noted that majority of the rural development programmes are aimed at women skill development and empowerment. Hence, rural women were selected to collect the information. The information is collected through interview schedule. As the geographical territory of Chandrapur district is vast to cover, 10 villages are covered from Sindevahi taluka. Further, 110 rural women, who are engaged in informal sector employment, members of self-help groups are selected. The collected data is tabulated and discussed as under.

Chandrapur District
Chandrapur district is a district in Nagpur Division of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is located at the boundary of Andhrapradesh.The district was formerly known as Chanda District. In 1964, it was renamed as Chandrapur. It was the largest district in India until it was split into the separate district of Gadchiroli, It had a population of 2,071,101 of which 32.11% were urban as of 2001. According to the 2011 census Chandrapur district has a population of2,194,262 roughly equal to the nation of Latvia or the US state of New MaxicoThis gives it a ranking of 207th in India (out of a total of 640The district has a population density of 192 inhabitants per square kilometer (500 /sq mi) Its population growth rate over the decade 2001-2011 was 5.95 % Chandrapur has a sex ratio of 959 females for every 1000 males, and a literacy rate of 81.35 %. In 2006 the Ministry of Panchayati Raj named Chandrapur one of the country's 250 most backward districts (out of a total of640) It is one of the twelve districts in Maharashtra currently receiving funds from the Backward Regions Grant Fund Programme (BRGF) . It is famous for its super thermal power plant, one of the biggest in Asia, and its vast reserves of coal. Chandrapur also has large reservoirs of limestone. The abundance of lime and coal supplies many cement factories like L&T, Gujarat Ambuja (Maratha Cement Works), Manikgarh, Murli Cement and ACC Cement in the districts Analysis, Interpretation and Discussion of Primary Data: The collected data was analyzed, interpreted and discussed as under. 1. Knowledge about Self-employment and Women Empowerment Schemes: There are many self-employment schemes for both men and women and also women empowerment schemes, which helped both men and women in rural areas to engage themselves in active income generation activities. The awareness of respondents on self-employment and women employment schemes was collected and presented in the following table.

3. Greater and Regular Benefit to Rural People from Government Employment Schemes: It was discussed above that majority of the employment schemes of the government are known to the rural women covered under the present study. Further, even though there are many schemes, there is need to know on whether the rural people are really benefited from these schemes or not. On a question to respondents about whether they feel that is greater and regular benefit to rural people from these government schemes, the collected responses are tabulated as under.

It is surprising to note that even though there are innumerable number of schemes aiming towards rural development, employment, rural women skill development and empowerment, more Then one third of the respondents have not agreed that there are no regular and greater benefits from these schemes. 4. Increase in income due to Utilization of SGSY: Swarna Jayanti Gram Swarojgar Yojana (SGSY) is basically aims to provide employment to rural youth both male and females. Now most of the villages in Maharashtra state have benefited from this scheme. As such it was asked to the respondents that whether there is increase in income due to utilization of SGSY in their villages and the collected information is shown as under.

It is emphasized that to a greater extent or full extent the Swarna Jayanti Gramswarojgar Yojana is Successful in achieving its aims. 5. Government is Formulating Policies to solve problems of Rural Areas and Rural Women: Of course, government formulated many policies and schemes to promote employment of the rural people in general and rural women in particular. But still many of the women in rural areas are not aware about these programmes and schemes. Being pachayat members, whether the respondents agreed to that government is formulating policies to solve problems of rural areas in general and rural women in particular was shown as under.

It is satisfactory to note that as agreed by majority of the respondents, government is formulating policies to solve the problems of rural areas and rural women. Suggestions: Following suggestions may be given from the present study. ? Need to increase awareness about selfemployment, rural development , women skill development and empowerment programmes among rural women. ? It is suggested to increase the financial outlay for encouraging employment opportunities in rural areas. ? It is highly recommended to encourage the small scale and cottage industries in the rural areas for the betterment and welfare of rural women. CONCLUSION Due to the globalization the rural areas are with unemployed people. As such there was employment –gap among the rural people, as many of the small scale industries, cottage industries and handicrafts are ended. Further, even though women constitute half of the population, they have no adequate representation in education and employment, especially in rural areas. The rural development, women skill development, women empowerment and employment generation policies discussed above are of immense help for the rural women so as to start income generating activities independently or give at least 100 days of employment for the rural women. But it is emphasized that still there is no or less awareness about the government policies among the rural people and particularly among rural women. Hence, the voluntary organization and Non-Governmental Organizations have to act to increase the awareness among the rural women on the government policies. So the present study disclosed for the women respondents, not elitist background, family obligation and domination not much determined. Education and occupation have no significant bearing on women?s skill development and empowerment

References:

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