Punjab, June 16: Women in Punjab are being provided free training in sewing and stitching under the District Rural Development Agency (DRDA), a special scheme run by the Government of India. The initiative aims at making women empowered. On completion of the 6-month long course, most of the women find employment or open their own boutiques. Around 30 women are receiving training at one of the centres in Ludhiana. Once the training is completed, the women are provided a sewing machine to make them self-reliant. They are also certified for their skills. In Ludhiana, majority of these state-run centers are located in areas with more than 40 percent of the population living below the poverty line. The government is undertaking various programmes to provide technical training to make women and youth self-reliant. Such initiatives have successfully reduced the problem of unemployment in Punjab and many other parts of India.