NTR District’s RAISE Programme Earns National Recognition

NTR district collector Dr G. Lakshmisha said the recognition was the result of the collective efforts of the district administration, women members of self-help groups and partner organisations. He said the programme was helping rural women acquire skills and turn their capabilities into sustainable sources of income.

The collector, along with officials, participated in the Skill Manthan webinar through video conference from the district Collectorate in Vijayawada on Wednesday. The webinar, organised by the Union Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, focused on building sustainable livelihoods for women.

Skill Manthan was conceived as a national platform to share innovative initiatives and best practices being implemented by districts in skill development, employment and entrepreneurship. During the webinar, several programmes aimed at improving women’s livelihoods and skills across the country were presented, with NTR district’s RAISE initiative receiving special mention.

Dr Lakshmisha said the RAISE centre at Guntupalli was working in line with the vision of the Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister and the concept of “One Family – One Entrepreneur”. The centre was focusing on skilling women, encouraging self-employment and helping them move towards entrepreneurship.

With support from Niti Aayog, SERP and other departments, the district administration was taking steps to create more self-employment opportunities for women, he said. The Collector said efforts were under way to expand RAISE further and develop NTR district as a model district in women’s empowerment and skill development.

DRDA project director A.N.V. Nanchar Rao and other officials participated in the programme.