AJMER: Praveena (36) of Tonk, who passed through an acute financial crisis during lockdown, makes pickles these days and sells those in Rajivika mart and the collectorate canteen to support her three children. Meera of Mali Mohalla of Tonk, who makes mud utensils, also sells the products in Rajivika mart and the colectorate canteen to support her family after her husband lost his job because of lockdown.
In a first-of-its-kind for women empowerment, Tonk collectorate has started mahila canteen and mart where women can sell their home-made products such as soaps, pickles, masala and other products under Rajivika mission of the state government. The canteen is run by women to promote small-scale women groups.
To participate, self-help groups even from Devali, Uniyara and Malpura are coming to sell their products through Rajivika mart and canteen. “We have decided to market these products so that the handicraft of Tonk and even eatables reach different parts of the country,” added Suresh Gupta of Tonk Vyapar Mandal. District project manager of Rajivika, Mukesh Chawala, said the mart was now providing things like bathing soaps, pickles, porridge, cereals, utensils made of mud and even spices. “The trend is good and businessmen are purchasing things in bulk,” added Chawala.
Tonk zilla parishad CEO Sumya Jha said they were looking for more platforms to markes such items as a lot of women are interested in selling their homemade products in the mart and canteen, which were launched on July 1. “There is a enthusiasm in women as they were starting their own work. Importantly, most officials of the district are women and therefore they understand the feeling of women in need,” added Jyoti of panchayat samitti Kankod.
She added that previously women were not having any such platform and therefore they lost interest in homemade products and were trying to search employment in the construction sector. “Now we are working as our own boss,” said Kavita of Malpura self help group.
