Faces of women empowerment lose identity

Mohit khanna

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, June 22

A couple of years ago, they were in the limelight. Chosen by the UT Administration as a role model for other women, little did they now they would end up losing their job and roof.

These are the members of a self-help group. Rendered jobless over a year ago, they are now battling penury.

The Housing Board authorities want them to vacate the five rooms from where they have been operating to make ends meet. In 2013, the Chandigarh Administration had decided to initiate a woman empowerment project.

The Housing Board had decided to allot them five rooms in the newly built Housing Board Colony in Dhanas. The Food and Supplies Department had also agreed to offer a ration depot licence to these women.

The Social Welfare Department was asked to identify women self-help groups for the task.“Officials learnt that some self-help groups had been operating from Colony No. 5. While the proposal was taking shape, our colony was demolished and the displaced families were shifted to the Housing Board Colony. The department offered us a proposal to run a ration depot,” said Upsana, one of the women running a self-help group ‘Rakshak’. The members grabbed the opportunity and applied for a licence. Poonam of Jan Sewa self-help group, said getting the licence of was not a cakewalk. “We needed at least Rs 4 lakh for it. I somehow arranged the amount. We had to take a loan of Rs 2.5 lakh and the remaining sum came from the jewellery I had,” said Poonam. Neeta of the Mahila Vikas Samiti, said, “We were allotted the rooms in November 2013 and started running the depot in February 2014.” They said, “We used to carry bags weighing over 80 kg. We learnt how to make inventories and balance-sheets.”

They said the authorities acknowledged their work and projected them (women) as a role model for others.

But in September 2015, the government scrapped the ration depot licence and started the direct benefit scheme.

“We were rendered jobless. The next few years were spent repaying the loan, securing jewellery and other valuables,” they said. “We met the Director of the Social Welfare Department, where we were told to start a stitching centre. But in the meantime, an employee of the Housing Board came and asked us to vacate the rooms. He even threatened us,” said a woman.

They said it was difficult for them to run a stitching centre from home.