Empowering Rural Women: MP Capt. Brijesh Chowta Distributes Toolkits Under ‘Nal-Jal Mitra’ Scheme

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Mangaluru : In a significant move towards rural self-reliance and women empowerment, Member of Parliament Capt. Brijesh Chowta distributed specialized toolkits and certificates to the beneficiaries of the ‘Nal-Jal Mitra’ program on Wednesday. The ceremony was held at the Netravati Auditorium of the Dakshina Kannada Zilla Panchayat.

A Collaborative Initiative for Skill Development The ‘Nal-Jal Mitra’ program is a joint initiative of the Ministry of Jal Shakti (Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation) and the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship under the Jal Jeevan Mission. The primary objective of this program is to ensure the efficient operation and maintenance of piped water supply systems in rural areas by training local residents, thereby reducing dependency on external technicians.

Multi-Skilling for Rural Resilience Under this initiative, two women candidates from Self-Help Groups (SHGs) in every Gram Panchayat of the district were selected for comprehensive multi-skill training. The curriculum included hands-on training in plumbing, electrical work, masonry, and the repair of tools and machinery. In Dakshina Kannada district, a total of 161 beneficiaries have successfully completed their training under the ‘Jal-Vitran Sanchalak’ (Water Distribution Supervisor) job role.

Fostering Self-Employment By equipping women with these technical skills, the government aims to create a pool of local experts who can handle minor repairs of water pumps and pipelines within their villages. During the event, MP Capt. Brijesh Chowta emphasized that this initiative not only ensures a steady supply of drinking water but also opens new avenues for self-employment and dignified livelihoods for rural women.

Dignitaries Present The event saw the participation of several key officials, including K.E. Jayaram, Project Director of Dakshina Kannada Zilla Panchayat; Pradeep D’Souza, District Skill Development Officer; and Kavitha Shetty, Lead District Manager (LDM). They congratulated the beneficiaries and encouraged them to actively participate in the maintenance of village infrastructure.