Fifty women based in Alipurduar district were provided with tailoring jobs by the district administration on Thursday.
The women, who are from economically weaker sections of the society, have been given jobs with a monthly salary of ₹8,000 under the “Utkarsh Bangla” scheme of the state government.
“All these women were trained in tailoring by the Falakata Fabric Cluster Industrial Cooperative Society for 390 hours. Today, we handed over the certificates of training and engagement letters to them,” said Santiram Garai, the additional district magistrate (general)of Alipurduar.
Sources in the district administration said it was rare that 50 women were provided with jobs at one go.
An official of the district administration said the women would be engaged to make uniforms for school and college students and staff serving in the district health department.
“They will get a monthly salary of ₹8,000 from the state government. It is indeed a major achievement that we could train them for three months and simultaneously provide them with obs. They will be economically self-reliant now and can support their families,” the official added.
In 2016, the Bengal government had launched the “Utkarsh Bangla” scheme through Paschimbanga Society for Skill Development that functions under the department of technical education, training and skill development.
“The scheme was taken up for placement-linked short-term skill training across the state. In Alipurduar, we organised the training for these women in association with the cooperative society, and now, they also got placements,” said a government official.
Kamal Saha, who runs the cooperative society, said their efforts yielded results. “All these women will work in our society and will earn. It is indeed a major achievement for our society as the women were provided with jobs after we trained them,” he said.
The trainees were equally happy.
“I have learned tailoring and now have a job. I can now earn on my own and help my family,” said Rakhia Parveen, one of the trainees.