Journey from homemaker to self-employed

Port Blair, July 12: The Andaman & Nicobar Islands surrounded by sea has variety of sea food and is the staple food in these Islands. The people find their food incomplete unless served with sea food, which is a delicacy at every home as well as served as continental dishes in hotels.

Nowadays it is drawing more attention as value addition has made it reach to its lovers in the form of Pickles. Pickle making & selling has been a means of self employment and many home makers are involved in this business. One such story is of Smt.Laxmi Prasad working as Community Resource Person (CRP) under Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana- National Rural Livelihood Mission (DAY-NRLM) scheme being implemented by the Rural Development Department.

Prior to joining DAY-NRLM, Smt. Laxmi Prasad toiled hard as a helper in a shopfor the survival of her family. After joining the DAY-NRLM family through formation of Self Help Group (SHG) major turnover came in her life. She obtained livelihood activity based training on pickle making and started business of sale of homemade pickle with the financial support from her SHG.

In interview with Smt. Laxmi Prasad, CRP under DAY-NRLM of Gram Panchayat Sabari of C.D. Block, Rangat, she had this to say “All started back in the year 2016 after joining the NRLM Pragati SHG. Being the part of NRLM SHG, I got opportunity to have 07 days training on Pickle making where me and my group members learned pickle making and its preservation techniques. Later I availed loan of Rs.50000/- from my SHG and purchased necessary utensils, spices and oil and made 50 bottles of prawn pickle which was purchased by the local populace of the area. On knowing the popularity of my pickle, I gradually started making and selling my sea food homemade pickles in the local market, tourist places and SHG melas with the help of ANIRLM Coordination and support. Now my “Andaman Special Sea Food Pickles” has a very good demand in the local market and am earning around Rs.5000 to Rs.10000 per month from sale of pickles. I am planning to purchase bottle sealing machine and better packing material for sale of our pickles in the other markets of Islands. I have also has applied for FSSAI License through my SHG has have got the same for making homemade pickles of prawn and fishes and have started making pickles of different kinds of fruits and vegetables.  I am planning to take loan from our Village Organization Uday and expand my business. I am really grateful to my NRLM group and their staffs for supporting me in time and needs.

The Department of Rural Development with the implementation of Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana- National Rural Livelihood Mission (DAY-NRLM) shall keep supporting the poor rural women to strengthen and enable them overcome the various limitations and establish on their own caliber.

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