Women become Atmanirbhar in Chhattisgarh's Naxal-prone village

Narayanpur (Chhattisgarh) [India], November 30 : The women of state's Naxal-prone Kochwahi village have not only become educated but also become Atmanirbhar (Self-reliant) under the welfare schemes of the Chhattisgarh government.
The village is situated just seven kilometres away from the Narayanpur district headquarters.
Narayanpur Collector Rituraj Raghuvanshi said, "A multi-activity centre has been started in Kochwahi Gram Panchayat of Narayanpur district. By connecting the centre with Gauthan (Cow Shelter) of the village, we are making the products whose raw material is easily available in the district. A group of about 200 women is deployed there and they are producing those products which can be consumed at the district level. Cookies are being made, nutritious food items are prepared and supplied in Anganwadi and hostels."
"Apart from this, making of pure block, fencing wire, cement pole, dairy and bari work are being done at one place. Our main objective is to connect women as much as possible as well as to promote organic food items in our schools, Anganwadi and tribal hostels," Collector Ranghuvanshi added.
A group of 37 women are working in the food processing unit at Multi Activity Center, where cookies (biscuits), laddoos and other food items are being manufactured from mahua, kodo, kutki, ragi, tamarind and jaggery. These items are in high demand not only in Narayanpur district but also in many other districts of the state. Along with this, black rice, brown rice, kodo, kutki are being packaged and sold. These are mostly used by people suffering from diabetes.
Sales Manager of the Food Processing Unit, Kunal Kumar Yadu has said that food items worth Rs 2.5 lakh have been sold in the last month. An order of about Rs 4 lakh has been received for which continuous production is going on.
On the other hand, 30 women are working in manufacturing pure blocks, fencing wire and cement poles. One of the women in the self-help group said that they were provided machines and other equipment for making net wire, making pure blocks and cement poles. They sold material worth Rs 20 Lakh in Panchayat and other institutions so far.
Besides, some women are producing organic vegetables using cow dung manure without using chemical fertilisers and selling them. They are getting a lot of profit and have become Atmanirbhar. Some groups of women have taken training in silk thread making, in which they have learned the whole process from rearing silkworms to thread making in the initial stages. They will soon start making yarn and will sell it at the Multi Activity Center.