National Level Self-reliant Organization Award to Aastha Sankul organization | 10 Mar 2022

Why in News

• On the occasion of International Women's Day on March 8, 2022, Aastha Sankul organization of village Sonesarar in Rajnandgaon district of Chhattisgarh has been awarded the Self-Reliant Organization Award, 2022 by the Government of India for excellent work.

Key Points

• Union Panchayati Raj and Rural Development Minister Giriraj Singh rewarded the organization in a program organized at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi. He presented an amount of one lakh rupees and a symbol to the Aastha Sankul organization as an award.
• 23 village organizations of 17 gram panchayats and 443 self-help groups are associated with Aastha Sankul organization of village Sonesarar in Dongargaon block. 4842 rural women of the area are the members of the organization.
• Aastha Sankul organization has taken steps towards livelihood through food, nutrition, health and cleanliness. The organization has inspired 2300 families of the area to produce vegetables through the kitchen garden. For this, 605 families have been provided with improved vegetable seeds at a rate less than the market price.
• Under the cluster area, more than 6500 quintals of vegetables like tomato, okra, bhata, bitter gourd, gourd, cabbage have been produced by organic method by 2300 families in their own kitchen garden.
• Apart from the use of these vegetables in home meals, they have also been made available for the nutrition of adolescent girls, pregnant women, newlyweds and children below two years of age. Due to this, the women of the cluster organization also benefited financially.
• Under the Sankul Sangathan, the members of self-help groups are raising their standard of living through various livelihood activities. The women of the organization are involved in activities like sustainable agriculture, vegetable production, sanitary napkin manufacturing, bank sakhi and e-rickshaw operation. Along with livelihood related work, the women of the organization have also worked for awareness about Covid-19.