Bowl and plates made by these women see high demand in UP

PRAYAGRAJ: In the Amahta Sawaiya villages of the Pratapgarh district, a group of rural women are working tirelessly to shape “Dona and Pattal” (bowl and plate made up of Sal or Banyan tree leaves) with the help of automatic machines. The group of 11 women, led by Pushpa and associated with a single self-help group (SHGs) of Shivgrah block are manufacturing eco-friendly anywhere between 200 to 400 “Dona and Pattal” plates every day.
Interestingly, the fine branded plates have seen buyers not only from UP but also from the neighbouring states. Moreover, demand for the plates has increased in the rural belt across the state.
Ratan Mishra, district mission manager (Pratapgarh), told TOI, “A group of 11 women started working to manufacture “Dona and Pattal” plates from April month of this year after investing around Rs 1.5 lakh. They purchased semi-automatic machines and are now earning Rs 8,000 per month.”
He further added, “We have organised a weeklong maiden training camp of “Dona and Pattal” making for women in Amahta Sawaiya village where women are taught the entire process of making the plates with machines.”
The move was initiated under the UP State Rural Livelihood Mission (UPSRLM) and was also aimed at facilitating the financial independence of rural women associated with the self-help group.
He, however, said the “Dona and Pattal” making project started yielding good results since its installation of machines when women group started receiving orders from the local markets of Pratapgarh and neighbouring districts like Sultanpur and Jaunpur.
Currently, women are making all kinds and different shapes of “Dona and Pattal” plates as per the requirement of the markets and dispatching the consignments. Kavita, a woman, said that the “Dona and Pattal” plates are eco-friendly and can be easily discarded after use.” She added, “Not only is it made of plants leaves, but it also doesn’t harm our ecosystem.”
She further said that demand for “Dona and Pattal” plates have increased manifold during local fairs as well as big religious gatherings like Kumbh or Ardh Kumbh where plastic and thermocol articles were completely banned”.
Laxmi, another woman, said, “People have become quite aware of environment protection and they ask for better and fine shaped “Dona and Pattal” as it serves various kinds of food during the events. She said that government agencies must promote natural products like ‘Dona and Pattals’ which are environment friendly.”
Moreover, women groups were also engaged in making “Phoolbati” at Parashramour village under Mangraura block of the same district and more rural women are getting attracted towards this enterprise of “Phoolbati” manufacturing.
UPSRLM officials claimed that women are being imparted training for making “Dona and Pattal”, murtis and “Phoolbati” with an objective to create self-employment as well as empower women in the rural areas.