The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : SHG products' expo begins

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Sep 17, 2006
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

SHG products' expo begins

Staff Reporter

Specialities of districts across the State displayed

COLOURFUL LINE UP: A visitor looks at the dolls collection in a stall at the exhibition hosted by Tamil Nadu Corporation For Development of Women on Saturday. — PHOTO: S. THANTHONI

CHENNAI: Specialities of different districts, across the State, has been brought together in anexhibition hosted by the Tamil Nadu Corporation For Development of Women at the Mylapore Karpagambal Marriage Hall (Opp. Saibaba temple) here.

M.K. Stalin, Minister for Rural Development and Local Administration, inaugurated the exhibition on Saturday. This Navarathiri exhibition features products made by self-help groups from 30 districts of Tamil Nadu. K. Ashok Vardhan Shetty, Rural Development and Panchayat Raj secretary also participated.

The music band comprising SHG members welcomed the guests.

Thoda embroidery in different home linen along with spices, tea and oil from Nilgiris district have been attracting the crowd. Visitors are thronging to taste the Amla juice offered at the Dharmapuri stall. M. Kavitha, a SHG member said the sale of juice and herbal syrups made a turn over of Rs. 1 lakh every month.

While Thanjavur has `Thalaiatti' dolls along with wooden veenas lined up, Perambalur SHGs have brought neatly packed cashews.

M. Alli from Karur has on display bags made from damaged pieces rejected by export companies. They also have wax dolls and grass mats.

Besides cotton shirts from Salem, textiles from Coimbatore and Kanyakumari, there are dolls made of different materials, including clay, fur and paper mache in various stalls. In the Thoothukudi stall, Arivoli Sakthi, a SHG features ISO certified electronic tube-light chokes that do not need a starter (they are worth Rs.175). Mascot Halwa is another speciality.

A few stalls have garlands made from cocoons of silk moths. Items in the Chennai stall included jute products, toys and batik textiles.

Homemade products, jewellery and home decors are also there. With about 300 SHGs participating, the exhibition has products worth around Rs. 1.5 crore.

K. Ashok Vardhan Shetty, Rural Development and Panchayat Raj secretary participated.

Some stalls are put up at the Vellore Lakshmi Ammal Marriage Hall (Opposite Kapaleeswarar temple tank) due to space constraint. The exhibitionis open from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.till October 3. Prizes would be given to visitors chosen from a daily lucky draw.

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