Ambikapur, May 15 -- Women associated with Self-Help Groups (SHGs) in several villages of Chhattisgarh's Surguja district have turned centring plates and concrete mixer machines into a source of livelihood by renting them out for houses being constructed under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY).

Officials said the initiative, undertaken under the National Rural Livelihoods Mission (NRLM), locally known as 'Bihan', has not only accelerated housing construction but also contributed to women's empowerment through income generation.

Surguja Zila Panchayat CEO Vinay Kumar Agrawal said nearly 700 self-help groups have been mobilised across the district and provided with construction-related equipment.

"Under the National Rural Livelihoods...