Mysuru:  GUARD (Group for Urban and Rural Development), Mysuru, in association with L&T Public Charitable Trust, Mumbai, had organised a programme at Jaganmohan Palace in city yesterday to mark its 34th anniversary and International Women’s Day celebrations.

On the occasion, certificates were issued to 726 women of the district who had completed various vocational and skill training offered during 2017-18 by the two organizations under the Women Economical Empowerment Project.

Inaugurating the programme, Amit Kumar, Business Unit Head, Metering and Protection Systems, L&T, Mysuru, asked the women to effectively utilise the training they had received. He pointed out that such vocational training would help women to become economically independent and thus contribute to family income to lead a better life.

Speaking on the occasion, GUARD Secretary M.L. Sudarshana Raju said that the training scheme was initiated in 2011-12 and over the years, more than 4,000 women were trained in various fields. He pointed out that about 3,500 of them were self-employed now.

He further said that National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) had provided a loan of Rs.14.14 crore to the trained women to become self-employed.

MMC&RI Assistant Professor Dr. B. Mallika, former Chairman of Mysore Paints and Varnish Ltd., Anantha, District Industries Centre Officer Meghana, Deputy General Manager – Administration and Plant Engineering, L&T, Mysuru A. Balasubramanyam and others were present.