The floodwaters have washed away over 500 women-owned micro enterprises under the Kudumbashree Mission in Ernakulam.
A preliminary assessment made by the district mission found that the devastating floods would have impacted the livelihood of an average of 2,500 to 3,000 women entrepreneurs in the district. Ernakulam has 4,003 micro enterprises run by women under the mission.
“We have now received the details of the losses suffered by nearly 120 units from the community development societies. The initial estimate of the losses suffered by these units will be about ₹75 lakh, which includes damage to buildings, infrastructure, raw materials, finished products, stocks etc.,” said Manjeesh V.M., District Programme Manager (micro enterprises), Kudumbashree Mission.
“The actual estimate of the loss will be clear after we get detailed reports from the community development societies in the affected regions. However, most of the offices were submerged in the floods,” he said.
The micro enterprises affected by the floods were mostly located in North Paravur, Alangad, Perumbavoor, Vazhakulam, Muvattupuzha, Kothamangalam among others. Most of the units were involved in making chips, pickles, napkins, and Amrutham nutrimix (food supplement given to children in anganwadis).
Nutrimix units
Pretty M.J., secretary of a consortium of 10 units involved in the production of Amrutham nutrimix in Ernakulam, said that two units located at Choornikara in Aluva and Nedumbassery had suffered major losses in the floods. “Raw materials and finished products worth over ₹4 lakh were lost at the unit at Choornikara, which is being run by seven women entrepreneurs. Their lives have been hit hard as it will take at least three to four months for the unit to start functioning,” she said.
Ms. Pretty pointed out that the unit at Nedumbassery, which is being run by 10 women, had sustained losses to the tune of ₹1.5 lakh on raw materials alone. “The unit at Choornikara was producing about 7,000 kilos of nutrimix monthly,” she said.
Sarja, who runs a flour mill at South Vallam near Perumbavoor, said the floods had washed away several packets of chilli powder, turmeric, and rice powder stored at her unit. “The entire machinery was damaged and it might take us months to make a living out of the unit,” she said. The preliminary estimate of the losses taken by Sarja and her partner comes to more than ₹2.10 lakh.
The district mission authorities said a detailed report on the losses sustained by the micro enterprise units in the wake of the floods would be submitted to the State mission office. It is expected that the government will provide assistance or interest-free loans to the flood-affected micro enterprises run by women.