Dehradun: Chief Secretary Anand Bardhan has instructed all the Principal Secretaries, Secretaries, Heads of Departments and District Magistrates to use the products manufactured by them to promote self-help groups. Through his letter issued in this regard, he said that various activities are being conducted for entrepreneurship and livelihood promotion in rural areas by the self-help groups formed under the Uttarakhand State Rural Livelihood Mission. Women groups are working in the areas of food processing, canteen operation etc. and these women are providing quality services while complying with food safety and hygiene standards.
The Chief Secretary has directed that the cooperation of women self-help groups should be taken as much as possible for catering related requirements in all government/semi-government meetings, programs and other functions organized at the state, district and development block level and they should be given priority, for which the Project Director or Assistant Project Director, Rural Development can be contacted. He emphasized on providing local handicraft products or House of Himalayas brand gifts made by self-help groups to special guests and dignitaries visiting the district level as souvenirs for welcome programs etc.
The Chief Secretary has directed that millet products and local nutritious products produced by self-help groups should be used prominently for refreshment arrangements in programs, workshops, training programs and meetings organized at the state, district and development block level. He said that self-help groups should be given priority for running canteens/outlets etc. in all government premises of departments. He also directed that for this, purchase and sale should be done with self-help groups in accordance with the procurement rules prevalent by the Finance Department.
