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U.K. initiative to improve livelihood security of SHGs

Special Correspondent

Programme to strive to alleviate poverty in rural areas

- Photo:T. Singaravelou

FOR A CAUSE: Chris Gibson, Director of British Council (South India), (right), hands over the project documents to Chief Secretary Pradip Mehra at the Rajiv Gandhi College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences in Puducherry on Friday.

Puducherry: The United Kingdom and India had a strong track record of working together on collaborative research projects and finding solutions to common problems of people, Chris Gibson, Director of the British Council (South India), said.

He was launching the U.K. Government's `Development Partnerships in Higher Education Scheme' (the first scheme for the country as a whole) for improving the livelihood security of women Self-help groups engaged in rearing livestock at the Rajiv Gandhi College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences here on Friday.

Mr. Gibson said the project involved an outlay of £67,000. It would benefit the SHGs in Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh and the Union Territory of Puducherry. The women would gain economic empowerment and awareness of livestock maintenance. The programme would strive to alleviate poverty in rural areas, he said.

Mr. Gibson handed over the documents relating to the project to Pradip Mehra, Chief Secretary-cum-Chairman of the governing council of the Society running the Veterinary College. The project, to be implemented over the next three years, is being funded by the Department of International Development, U.K. He handed the Council's letter of appreciation to the Indian Coordinator of the Project, Ramkumar, for his networking skills in implementing three projects of the University of Reading (U.K.) undertaken by the college during last few years to eradicate rural poverty.

Mr. Mehra said through such practically useful and rural centric programmes, animal husbandry could make substantial contributions to the Gross Domestic Product.

This was the fourth project undertaken by the college to enhance the capability of dairy farmers.

College Dean G. Butchiah, who explained the implementation of the various projects, said the college was also partnering with the Centres for Women Studies in Bangalore and Coimbatore and the Colleges of Veterinary Sciences in Hyderabad and Kerala. A survey would be made soon to assess the total number of women SHGs to be covered under the project.

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