The economic status and standard of women’s lives improved a lot after Union and State government started promoting Stree Shakthi and other women’s self help groups. The government agencies are providing financial aid to the members of these organisations, supporting their business of home made products and other self employment work.
Besides, the government also provides loans encouraging their income generating activities through micro financing institutions. Hundreds of women in the ward number 11 of Mysore City Corporation have indeed improved their economic status by utilising the benefits, and financial aid provided by the successive governments to their Stree Shakthi Sanghas and other women self help groups.
As many as more than four thousand women have registered themselves under various women’s self help groups in ward number 11. While some have taken to tailoring, several of them are working in local garment industries. This apart, few even drive autorickshwas, some make candles at home, roll agarbathis, and make home made products such as spices and ready-to-fry stuff.
The Stree Shakthi organisations and other women’s self help groups have emerged as power centres and vote bank for political parties because of the unity, and organising skills of women.
Infact, B H Asha, corporator elected from ward number 11 on BJP ticket for the first time, is popular in the ward for her able leadership in Stree Shakthi Sanghas. She has served as the director for ‘Stree Deepa’ which is one of the acclaimed Federations for Stree Shakthi Organisations, and Women’s Self Help groups in city.
This Federation has helped thousands of women turn self -employed and self reliant.
Areas in Vidyaranayapuram stretching from 16th cross to 33rd cross, Postal colony, weavers colony, KHB colony, CITB colony, Vishveshwaranagar industrial suburbs, Railway Quarters, J P Nagar Ist and second stage, Pourakarmika colony, Dharamasingh colony and D Devaraja Urs colony come under this ward.
This is one of the biggest wards with larger stretch of land in City Corporation with a population of 13,000 voters. The significance of this ward is the presence of wedding halls. More than 20 wedding halls are located in this ward.
As for industrial presence, the locality has Rolon Chain factory, saw mills, agarbathi making units and other home made products and manufacturing units are established in Visveswaranagar Industrial suburbs are provided with employment opportunities.
Interestingly, several industrialists have sold their plots to builders and many apartments have also been constructed on industrial plots to meet the increasing housing demand. People of all working class from slum dwellers, office goers and industrialists housed in the area.
When City Herald went around the ward, several residents of Vidyaranaypuram complained about the foul smell emanating from the storm water drain (SWD) passed through the ward. Besides, breeding of mosquitoes at this location is also putting the residents into big risk. Negligence of the officials concerned to find out the permanent solution has worried the residents. Though the corporator overseeing fogging and other activities, the mosquito problem has never reduced in the area.
The other problem worrying majority residents is the location is that of solid waste treatment plant in the ward. The constant emanating of foul smell is disturbing the serene atmosphere in the region. People located in the nearby treatment plant complained of uneasiness, headache, nausea without authorities even bothering to check the reasons behind it. The councillor has earned the wrath of public owing to the foul smell emanating from SWD and solid waste treatment plant.
Though the MCC made arrangements for the supply of Cauvery and borewell water, many residents complained about the irregular supply of drinking water.
Asphalt Akkamahadevi road
The people of the ward demanded the MCC to fill the pot holes and asphalt the Akkamahadevi road which is one of the important connecting roads to the dead end of J P Nagar. As number of KSRTC buses, two and other four wheelers ply on the road to reach the heart of the city, the residents urge for the repair of the road.
Besides, the maintenance of Veerashaiva Rudrabhoomi, Pourakarmika, Christian and other community graveyards are posing challenge to the civic bodies.
Speaking to City Herald, Corporator B H Asha said that she had given thrust for improvement of the park, construction of community halls under various schemes of the government, distribution of houses besides helping people to get various government facilities.
