Akka Cafe inaugurated in Dharwad

Labour Minister and district in-charge Santosh Lad has said that Akka Cafe which will be operated completely by women from self-help groups will be a boon for their economic empowerment.

He was inaugurating an Akka Cafe set up near Dharwad Zilla Panchayat by the Kamadhenu women self-help group of Kabbenur village on Saturday.

The Minister said that under the National Livelihood Mission, the Department of Skill Development, Entrepreneurship and Livelihood is implementing various programmes for the reduction of poverty in urban and rural areas and Akka Cafe is one such initiative to empower women economically.

“In order to encourage women to take up livelihood activities, the State government has announced the Akka Cafe scheme in the 2024-25 budget. The government has given approval for setting up 50 Cafe Sanjivini (Akka Cafe) across the State which will be run entirely by women. Accordingly, in Dharwad district such cafes are being set up,” he said.

Navalgund MLA N.H. Konaraddi, president of the District Guarantee Scheme Implementation Authoirty S.R. Patil, Chief Executive Officer of Dharwad Zilla Panchayat Bhuvanesh Patil, Superintendent of Police Gunjan Arya, president of Kamadhenu self-help group Rajashree Pawadi and others were present.

After inaugurating the cafe, the Minister and others inspected food preparation facilities. Subsequently, they savoured the food prepared in the cafe.

Under the Akka Cafe scheme, proposals for setting up two such cafes in Dharwad district were submitted to the government. And, after identifying suitable land, approval has been given and grants released.

A seven-member committee headed by the Joint Director of Food and Civil Supplies has been constituted for the implementation of the scheme.