The Punjab Government is set to roll out an ambitious scheme to promote rural women entrepreneurs, according to sources.
The new initiative, ‘Mawan-Dhiyan Di Hatti’, is being launched just after the rollout of the Mukh Mantri Mawan Dhiyan Satkar Yojana and targets the 1.01 crore women voters in the state. Under this scheme, women entrepreneurs, who have formed self-help groups (SHGs), will be given commercial spaces to sell their products. The scheme is being given a final shape by the Rural Development and Panchayats Department.
The SHGs produce several homemade items but find them economically unviable for lack of retail space.
Once the scheme is rolled out, these SHGs will not only be able to sell their own products at these shops, they will also be allowed to sell products of state cooperatives such as Milkfed and Markfed.
While 52 lakh women are expected to get financial assistance in the just launched monthly stipend plan, the new scheme is expected to further endear the ruling party to women voters. Under the new initiative, the government will provide the SHGs rent-free commercial spaces in each block. The Rural Development Department has already begun the exercise to identify commercial spaces in each block to open these shops. At most places, the BDO offices have shops, which will be used to implement the scheme.
Though the scheme was envisaged and given a formal shape in April, preparations have now gathered pace.
The Tribune has learnt that of the 154 blocks in the state, 130 are set to roll out the scheme. In some blocks like Mamdot, Khumano and Ferozepur, where the SHGs and block development officials are on board to launch the scheme, government-owned commercial space is not available. Efforts are now on to find another parcel of government land to set up shops. The construction cost of each shop is estimated at Rs 7 lakh. In the second phase, the government plans to open these shops in every village of the state.
