Page 18 - NIS English, 16-30 November,2022

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Cover Story Aajeevika Mission-Nation's Mission
Co
Earlier, I had no identity; now,
AAJEEVIKA MISSION IS I am known as Krishi Sakhi.

BECOMING THE MISSION Everyone comes and inquires

OF THE NATION about organic farming and
fertilisers, and people from
other states call and inquire

COVERAGE 34 STATES as well.
OF SELF- AND UNION
HELP TERRITORIES Champa Singh of Madhya Pradesh
says this confidently after increasing
GROUPS IN her income by six-seven times by
establishing her own identity after
joining self-help groups with the
assistance of the Deendayal Antyodaya
Yojana-National Livelihood Mission.
ORGANIZING ACTIVITIES IN
Her father died when she was 11 years
721 DISTRICTS old, and she married at a young age.
After a while, her husband also died.
Champa and her mother had a difficult
time surviving in such a situation. The
livelihood mission, on the other hand,
became an anchor in Champa's life. She
received training from Krishi Sakhi and,
in addition to increasing her income, she
has trained over 5,000 women farmers
in various states. She now owns a
well-known organic shop and promotes
the mantra of increasing the fertility
of fields with organic manure. "There
was no income of even 40-50 thousand
rupees in the first year," she says, "but
after better training and opportunities,
I now earn 2.5-3 lakh rupees annually."
In a conversation with Prime Minister
Narendra Modi, she expressed her
eagerness to realise the dream of a self-
The programme Self-help groups reliant India.
has been are being Every day, hundreds of local and
started under implemented in foreign pilgrims visit the Kaul Kandoli
this in 6,861 2,63,355 gram pilgrimage site, which is the first stop on
blocks. panchayats. the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi pilgrimage.
Flowers and garlands are offered in the
Self-Help Groups have been temple along with the other offerings.
formed under NRLM in However, its immersion is challenging
7,15,390 villages. after worship. In such a case, a group of

16 New India Samachar November 16-30, 2022