Women linked with Self-Help Groups (SHGs) under Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana-National Urban Livelihood Mission (DAY-NULM) will run Shimla’s newly constructed book cafes, said the Urban Development Minister Suresh Bhardwaj here today. The Minister will launch this concept on 17th September, 2022 at Chaura Maidan book café. Suresh Bhardwaj said that book cafés have been constructed under the Smart City Mission in Shimla town. “Book cafes at Chaura Maidan and Chhota Shimla were inaugurated recently. We examined different models to run these book cafes. Now, we have decided that women linked with self-help groups registered under the DAY-NULM scheme will run these cafes,” he said. He said that I had promised to provide a market space to women SHGs in urban areas. So this will be a unique concept. Besides showcasing and selling their products, women will manage the government-owned book cafes. Shimla has more than 200 self-help groups. Shimla’s MC’s NULM division will coordinate with the SHGs.
“They will ensure transparency in the business,” he added. Suresh Bhardwaj added that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has always laid emphasis on DAY-NULM to strengthen women. “Life of urban poor is difficult as they do not even have the agricultural land or have limited livelihood opportunities. This scheme has been transforming the lives of many,” he said. “Whenever I visited fairs or exhibitions, SHGs raised the issue of marketing. We are working on packaging and branding but providing a marketplace was a major issue,” he said. He said that we have book cafes located in prime locations. Bibliophiles, students will get a peaceful and well-built place beside a platform for SHG women. Chaura Maidan book café will also help to ease out stress on the library near Himahcal Pradesh Vidhan Sabha. “Idea behind this concept was to ensure that this property is used for readers’ purposes besides providing a platform for SHGs, instead of commercializing the space,” he added. Urban Minister, who also holds the portfolio of the Cooperation department, said that he was also contemplating a cooperative model for these SHGs. “A lot of work has been done in this sector. A lot of funds have been spent as seed money or on the training of women. Now the time has come to federate these SHGs or to have a society where these SHGs need less government support and move towards the model of self-sustainability,” he said. The Minister added that SHG women running a book café is the beginning of a self-sustainability model for these women.
