LALABAZAR

As part of Swachh Rail Mission and to empower women with opportunities of livelihood, N.F. Railway has taken a unique initiative wherein a number of Women Self Help Groups (SHGs) have been engaged to keep Railway stations clean in Hailakandi district of Assam. N.F. Railway and Hailakandi District Administration collaborated through signing a MoU (Memorandum of Understanding) as part of the initiative to provide better scope for employment and women empowerment.

SHGs like Nabonita SHG, Loknath SHG and Maa Manosha SHG have been engaged to maintain three stations of Hailakandi district namely Panchgram, Hailakandi and Lalabazar railway stations respectively through National Rural & Urban Livelihood Missions. This initiative will augment the employment scope to needy women of the locality.

It is also to mention here that involvement of women SHGs in adoption and cleaning stations will reduce the activities of anti-social elements. Moreover, cleanliness of stations with participation of local SHGs will also result community ownership of the stations. The initiative undertaken by N.F. Railway and Hailakandi District Administration has been a largely successful o­ne and the cleanliness of the stations have increased manifold due to the effort put in by the SHGs.