The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Efforts on to introduce inter-sale among SHGs

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Saturday, Feb 09, 2008
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Efforts on to introduce inter-sale among SHGs

Staff Reporter

Modalities for transportation of goods to be worked out

Facility will help in taking the products to more consumers
Special place to be provided at temple festivals

KODAIKANAL: Intra- and inter-sale among more than 700 self help groups in the district will be introduced shortly to expand their market base and tap the highly potential rural market. All arrangements will be made and assistance extended to enable SHGs to transport goods made by them from one area to another area, Collector R. Vasuki said on Friday.

She was addressing an annual meeting of men SHGs here.

To begin with, a list of products manufactured by all SHGs will be prepared to calculate the number of products, quantum of production and production capacity, availability of items and areas of demand in the district. The SHGs can exchange their products among themselves to market their produces at their villages on the basis of local demand. For example, some products such as honey and special chocolates produced on the hill might not be known to people in other parts of the district. Similarly, SHGs in some villages were specialists in making masala powder and those in other areas in coir and wood products, Ms. Vasuki said.

The SHGs in Kodaikanal can market sambar and masala powder made by their counterparts at Gandhigram on the hill. Similarly, honey and chocolates made in Kodaikanal can be sold by the local SHGs in Natham or in Dindigul. They can sell their items among its members also.

Fulfilling needs and basic requirements of SHG members and their families alone will expand their market base substantially. The facility will help them to take their products to more consumers and popularise them in urban and rural areas. The district administration will also mull over the modalities for quick transport of their goods from one place to another.

A special place will be provided to SHGs at temple festivals to display the products and to introduce them to consumers from remote and inaccessible villages.

The district administration has also planned to utilise gap filling fund to help the poorest of the poor on the hill. The fund will be fully utilised for installing street lights and laying streets in Adi Dravida colonies in Kodaikanal, the Collector added.

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