Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi launched the UMEED programmme for the empowerment of women in central Badgam district in Jammu and Kashmir. 'SHG helped to bring in confidence among the women participants. It empowered them' said Rahul Gandhi. Under the UMEED programme 90,000 self-help groups linking nine lakh women in 143 blocks covering 4,098 panchayats of the state would be organised in five years to address the concerns that women face in the state, and attempt collectively to improve their economic conditions..