Agartala, February 21 (TIWN): Self help group in Tripura paved a new ray hope for the women in Tripura. Through these group, women in Tripura can now be self employed and can lead their life in a better way. According to the recent data tabled in the Assembly, a total of 39089 self help groups exist in the State. Under these Self help groups, 4, 40,008 workers were earning their bread and butter.

Women members elected to the village council in Tripura have taken a lead in paving the way for a large number of poor women to become self-reliant.Jaynagar Gram Panchayat under Jirania block of West Tripura district is a Self-Help Group (SHG), which reaches out to the rural poor, especially the womenfolk to create employment opportunities for them.

With the joint effort of 11 women members, the SHG generates allied productive vocations for the poor families. Besides Jayanagar Gram Panchayat (the village council), there are several other SHGs that are operational in the block. They provide ample support to the needy families and have also been active in other spheres such as education, drinking water, road connectivity and community health programmes.

From preparing incense sticks, packaging to marketing all is done by women. Another 200 women work and have become self-employed. They earn money by making incense sticks which are made out of locally available raw materials.

Although the Self-Help Groups exist only at the village level, the fact is that these women members of the village councils have played a stellar role in empowerment of women. Their initiatives have also helped in poverty alleviation at grass root level.