The Central government's women empowerment initiative is delivering tangible results in the border districts of Jammu and Kashmir, with free vocational training under the Rural Self-Employment Training Institute (RSETI) helping women in Rajouri district build financial independence. The programme, running in convergence with the National Rural Livelihoods Mission (NRLM), is actively operating in Androla village as of 15 July 2025.

What the Programme Offers

Under the Centrally sponsored scheme, women and girls enrolled in the training receive free professional instruction in cutting, stitching, and garment design. Participants are also provided study material, sewing machines, tailoring equipment, and refreshments throughout the training period — removing common barriers that prevent rural women from accessing skill development.

Upon completing the course, trainees are awarded a recognised certificate and guided toward financial assistance to set up their own tailoring units or small enterprises. The structured pathway from training to certification to credit access is central to the initiative's design.

Beneficiaries Speak

One participant described the opportunity as transformative. 'This is a one-month course being conducted through RSETI. It is a great opportunity for us. After completing the course, we will receive a diploma, based on which we can avail loans at a lower interest rate,' she said.

She added: 'We are educated, but we do not have employment at present. With this diploma, we can start our own boutique or another business and also create employment opportunities for others.'

Other beneficiaries echoed similar sentiments, commending the Centre's continued focus on women's skill development and noting that the programme was opening new avenues for self-employment in their villages.

Why Rajouri's Border Villages Matter

Rajouri is among Jammu and Kashmir's most strategically sensitive border districts, where economic marginalisation has historically limited opportunities — particularly for women. The NRLM department is working to ensure women-centric schemes reach the grassroots in these underserved areas, a task that carries both developmental and social significance.

Notably, this initiative is part of a broader pattern of Centre-led outreach in the region following the reorganisation of Jammu and Kashmir into a Union Territory in 2019, with livelihood and skill programmes forming a key pillar of the administration's ground-level engagement.

What Comes Next

Participants who earn their diplomas are expected to access subsidised credit to launch micro-enterprises, potentially generating employment beyond themselves. If the Androla model scales across Rajouri's other border villages, it could meaningfully expand the district's informal economy and reduce dependence on wage labour. The NRLM department has indicated its intent to extend such convergence programmes to more rural clusters in Jammu and Kashmir.