RAJSHAHI, Dec 24, 2018 (BSS)- More than 100 distressed women were given
grants worth Taka five lakh in the district this year for freeing them from
their vulnerable condition.
Department of Women Affairs (DWA) organized the grant distribution
ceremony at conference hall of Rajshahi City Corporation (RCC) here
yesterday.
RCC Mayor AHM Khairuzzaman Liton, Panel Mayor Shariful Islam Babu, Ward
Councilors Abdul Momin and Towhidul Alam Suman and District Women Affairs
Officer Shabnam Shirin attended the addressed the meeting.
The meeting was told that the DWA has implemented various women
empowerment and social safety net related development programmes involving
around Tk 265.96 crore in the district during last ten years.
Shabnam Shirin said that more than 2.71 lakh women were brought under the
uplift schemes.
Under the Distressed Women Development Programme, 1,65,552 women were given
food grain assistance worth about Tk 226.48 crore. They were also given
training on income-generation trades.
Some 37,494 poor mothers were given maternal allowance worth around Tk
15.01 crore. The beneficiaries were also imparted five-day training on 15
need-based issues.
Under the working lactating mother assistance fund programme, 34,530
mothers were given allowance worth around Tk 6.84 crore. Each of them was
given 24-hour training on 15 need-based issues.
Shirin said the mothers along with their infants were given necessary
antenatal and postnatal healthcare services for maintaining their sound
health.
Some 5,392 babies from limited-income families were given daycare services
in the district at a cost of around Tk 43.91 lakh. Around 1,722 either
working or job-hunting women received residential services in working women
hostel.
Under the microcredit programme for making women self-employed, 20,504
beneficiaries were given small-loans worth around Tk 13.10 crore. Upazila
level distressed and helpless women were given loan from Tk 5,000 to Taka
15,000 each.
A total of 2,380 women were given training on various income-generating
trades like sewing, embroidery, boutique and tailoring and they were also
given allowance worth around Tk 1.31 crore. Distribution of 288 sewing
machines among the trained women was completed.
Under the women income-generating training programme, 60 women were
imparted six-month motor driving training, 60 women six-month computer
servicing and 1,440 others were given three-month vocational training on
various trades. They were also given post-training allowance.
Some 1,356 registered volunteer women associations were provided grants
worth Tk 2.31 crore.
Under the distressed women and children assistance fund, 338 beneficiaries
were given financial support worth around Tk 16.88 lakh. Some 200 joyeeta got
allowance valued around Tk 28.90 lakh.