They succeed against all odds

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Source: The Hindu (http://www.hinduonnet.com/2010/05/07/stories/2010050755220200.htm)
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They succeed against all odds


Correspondent



Women SHGs cash in on Arhar in Koraput


KORAPUT: It is four months of hard work and every one in the SHG gets a profit of at least Rs.30,000. Suadei Mandinga, president of Maa Mutyaluma SHG from Laxmipur and Shakuntala Kuldip of Bijay SHG from Tayaput in Laxmipur block of the district, are just two names out of scores of women SHGs who have dared bring out the region from the trap of growing Maoist activities and the effect on economic growth. All these women have made a difference by collecting and processing Arhar, one of the prime products in Narayanpatna, Bandhugaon and Laxmipur blocks of the district .
While collecting raw materials from these blocks was a challenging task in view of frequent Maoist road blockades and security concerns, it could not stop Maa Mutyaluma SHG from raising its business to the tune of Rs.37 lakhs this year from a mere Rs.12,000 nine years ago. The SHG had received Rs.26 lakhs as loan from District Supply and Marketing Society (DSMS) at soft rate of interest to purchase 651 quintals of raw material to get at least 500 quintals of Arhar dal and sell at the rate of Rs.74 a kg. The group is sure to get a profit of Rs.11 lakhs as the DSMS has been making arrangements for marketing its produce.
This year, the DSMS provided a revolving fund of Rs.1.8 crores to 25 SHGs in Laxmipur , Narayanpatna and Bandhugaon blocks for purchasing Arhar and making dal from it in their own processing units being established, Rari Pianto, director, DSMS, said The activities were in full swing and the expected dal production would reach 3400 quintals within next few months . The turnover would be nearly Rs.2.5 crores and the SHGs could get a profit of Rs.40 lakhs collectively, he added.
The district administration had already placed orders with the groups for supplying the dal for its MDM and EFP programmes, Rajesh Pravakar Patil, district Collector, said .
This success story of SHG women has prompted the district administration to promote collective marketing and also village level semi processing of cashewnuts . The district had a plan to invest Rs.1 crore for the purpose this year , he added.






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