The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Thanjavur News : SHGs find making of coconut thatches lucrative

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Apr 08, 2005

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Thanjavur

SHGs find making of coconut thatches lucrative

By G. Srinivasan

The Collector M. Veera Shanmuga Moni, interacting with the members of a woman self-help group at Papanasam in Thanjavur district on Wednesday. — Photo: R. Shivaji Rao

THANJAVUR, APRIL 7 . Making of thatches using coconut leaves is a profitable venture, say the members of four women Self Help Groups of Vankarampettai village in Papanasam panchayat union in Thanjavur district.

Procuring coconut leaves from Cumbum, Theni and Kerala, they produce thatches at a place hired by them and sell them in domestic market at Kumbakonam, Tiruvarur and other places.

"We produce 1000 thatches per day and sell at the rate of Rs. 160 per hundred thatches" said the members.

The Collector, M. Veera Shanmugha Moni, who visited Vankarampettai and saw the thatches being produced by the women, assured to help them in procuring coconut leaves and marketing thatches.

A unique feature of the venture is that many who remained daily wage workers have become entrepreneurs selling thatches.

The groups named — Vannamayil, Chinnakuyil, Solaikuyil and Thangamayil — have seventy members totally. All of them are now in the trade of selling coconut thatches.

According to P. Rajendran, Project officer, District Rural Development Agency (DRDA) and S.K. Sampathkumar, Project Officer, Mahalir Thittam, Vannamyil group has 19 members and has a savings of Rs. 38,950.

The Indian Bank, Papanasam has disbursed loans to this group for thatches making to the tune of Rs. 60,000 so far in three instalments, the Project officer said..

Bank assistance

The group members are involved in thatch making, running idli shops, tiles trade, etc. Chinnakuyil group also has 19 members and they also got loan from the Indian Bank, Papanasam to the tune of Rs. 95,000.

They are involved in thatch making, sale of coconuts and rearing milch animals. Solaikuyil group has 20 members and the State Bank of India, Papanasam, has given loans to the tune of Rs. 1,15,000.

They are involved in thatch making, running provision shop etc. Thangamayil group has twelve members. State Bank of India has given loan to the tune of Rs. 48,000. The also produce thatches and also involved in running idli shops.

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