1.5 lakh low-cost masks made by SHGs find no takers

GURUGRAM: At a time when face masks are in great demand, about 1.5 lakh masks made by women across villages in Gurugram are not finding any takers. At least 400 women, most of whom are not very well-off, from 143 self-help groups formed under the Haryana chapter of the rural livelihoods mission, have put in hard work to stitch these masks after the government asked them to take up the task in April.
The self-help groups were provided with cloth by the state government and private organisations under their CSR initiatives. Officials of the Haryana rural livelihoods mission department, which has been mobilising these groups and facilitating the entire production, said the government had proposed that these masks will be taken up by government departments and NGOs working with the government. Accordingly, the groups were told that they could sell through NGOs, government departments or the four kiosks installed in Gurugram by the department.
“If just one department takes them, it would make a lot of difference. For instance, the police department can take these masks and distribute among the cops,” said an official from the department requesting anonymity. However, despite multiple letters from the state government to the various department, none of them have shown interest in these handmade safety gears. “These women have toiled really hard and while we are paying them irrespective of the sales. It would be a great achievement for them if we can put these masks to use,” added the official.
One of the women, Minakshi, who lives in Bhoda Kala village in Pataudi says, “When we first heard that the government wants us to be involved in its fight against Covid, we were ecstatic. However, now with the masks piling up, the enthusiasm is burning down.”
The masks are priced between Rs 15 and Rs 40. “We are paid Rs 5 for a simple mask and the amount increases depending on the type and craftsmanship. However, we did not do it for the money. We worked to support the cause, and we hope that the masks find takers,” said Sushma, from Faridpur village, Farrukhnagar. She added that with the stock piling up, they have temporarily stopped making masks.
Sushila who is in charge of the drive in Pataudi and Farrukhnagar, said, “Most of the women associated with self-help groups are hoping to make a little extra money to help their families or save for some future event. While the official number of women stitching masks as a part of this drive is 400, the actual number would be higher across the district.” Self-help groups are made under the rural livelihoods mission where women from a village or neighbourhood come together, and the government helps them find a way to earn some money.