Karnataka - Madikeri   

Dharmasthala project extended to Kodagu

Madikeri: The Shri Kshetra Dharmastala Rural Development Project (SKDRDP), devoted to the service of the disadvantaged, empowerment of women and small and marginal farmers, is set to begin its activities in Kodagu, according to L.H. Manjunath, Executive Director of the project here on Saturday. The SKDRDP is celebrating its silver jubilee.

Dr. Manjunath said the dream project of the Dharmadhikari of Shri Kshetra Dharmastala, Veerendra Heggade, the SKDRDP would be initially taken up in Madikeri taluk where 335 self-help groups (SHG’s) had been constituted under the “Pragati Bandhu” model. Under this model, small and marginal farmers would help one another. They would engage themselves in thrift and credit practices. This programme encouraged women SHGs.

The “Pragati Nidhi” scheme had facilitated micro finance where transfer of technology, social forestry, watershed activities, eco-friendly energy programmes, and health schemes, were promoted, Dr. Manjunath said.

The SKDRDP would implement all its programmes in Madikeri taluk to begin with and extend it to other taluks.

There was a plan to promote 1,400 SHG’s in Madikeri taluk, comprising 600 Pragati Bandhu SHGs, involving 3,000 families. Similarly, 800 women SHGs would be promoted comprising 9,500 families. The SKDRDP would approximately invest Rs. 8 crore in three years.

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Dharmasthala project extended to Kodagu

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