Housewives, labourers turn entrepreneurs in Rajasthan

JAIPUR: Several women who worked as labourers, cleaners or housewives have now turned into entrepreneurs with a state-wide and nationwide market selling handicrafts, handmade soaps, and spices in Rajasthan. These women are further generating employment for others through self-help groups under the Rajeevika scheme of Rajasthan government.
Pooran Ravidas from Pratapgarh district who sells spices and is part of a self-help group with 13 other women said that she now earns Rs 8000-10,000 in a month.
"Till last year I worked as a daily wage labourer and used to earn Rs 100-200 per day. Someone from the district administration had visited our area and that is when I learnt about this initiative. I decided to give it a try and within one year, I now have a stable income source. All the women together, we can earn up to Rs 70,000 a month. We have all the basic spices needed for daily use and now we will be adding some new spices too like the locally known Pratapgarh masala," said Ravidas, who is a mother of two girls and supports a family of six.
From Churu, Sumitra Devi started learning how to make handmade soaps in 2019 and now has a production group of 30 women.
"We first got training and then tried out different types of soaps on our own. Some like the Charcoal soap got huge attraction and we started getting orders. We first had a group of 13-15 women, but then we increased our production unit. I manage the production part and others manage the sales," said Devi, who had put up a stall at the Handicrafts Fair organised by the state government in Jaipur. The handmade soaps are priced between Rs 50-80.
Women through self-help groups are producing and selling different types of handicrafts like carpets, paper products, pottery items, spices, decorative items, katha, embroidery painting, pickles, iron utensils among other items. Officials from the Panchayati Raj department said that the department is trying to work with them to help them get the correct price of their product.
An MoU has also been signed between Rajasthan Grameen Ajeevika Vikas Parishad and Amazon India to support the growth of women artisans and SHGs across the state.