Women SHGs in Mandi prepare millet savouries for Diwali gifts
Dipender Manta
Mandi, November 11
The Mandi district administration has taken initiatives to empower rural women in the district. The District Rural Development Authority (DRDA) has prepared gift packs from products made by women self-help groups of the district.
Empowering rural women
- As many as 8,142 SHGs have been formed in the district under the National Rural Livelihood Mission. Women from 62,414 families have been included in these self-help groups
- The District Rural Development Authority has prepared gift packs from products made by SHGs of the district
The gift packs include products like kodo biscuits, kodo laddoos, panchgavya diyas, soybean barfi, honey and turmeric, prepared locally. It is for the first time in Mandi that SHGs have manufactured sweets and biscuits made of millets for Diwali.
Mandi Additional Deputy Commissioner Nivedita Negi said these special gift packs prepared for Diwali can be obtained through the DRDA. Apart from this, they have also been kept for sale in the open shop under the National Rural Livelihood Mission in Indira Market of Mandi town.
The ADC said it is a dedicated effort by the DRDA under the National Rural Livelihood Mission for the empowerment of rural women. She said the main objective is to encourage self-help groups to manufacture organic products and to give wide recognition and market to the best products manufactured by them.
“Initially, only a few gift packs have been prepared for Diwali. Looking at the response and demand, such gift packs will be prepared on a large scale for general use,” she said.
ADC Nivedita appealed to the people to participate in strengthening the SHGs and purchase excellent products such millet sweets, soya sweets, honey, organic turmeric powder, herbal tea, panchgavya diyas etc. This will give a new momentum and energy to women’s self-reliance efforts.
Meanwhile, DRDA Project Officer GC Pathak said 8,142 SHGs have been formed in the district under the National Rural Livelihood Mission.
