Idols are available for sale in attractive colors and sizes ranging from Rs 200 to Rs 4 thousand
RIPA is transforming the lives of women in the state
Raipur, 13 September 2023/ Women self-help groups in the state have succeeded in creating a new identity with their skills and hard work. Be it the manufacturing of LED bulbs, the manufacturing of fencing wire mesh, the manufacturing of fly ash bricks or cow dung paint, or the production of food items, women self-help groups have emerged as successful entrepreneurs by maintaining high quality and standards for their products. Recently, on the occasion of Rakshabandhan, a women’s group made everyone aware of their skills by making attractive Rakhis at a low cost.
With the festival of Ganesh Chaturthi around the corner, the women of a group in Mahasamund district have recognized the opportunity to make Lord Ganesh idols.
Women of Maa Chandrahasini Women’s Group, associated with Mahatma Gandhi Rural Industrial Park, Godbahal, are making attractive Ganesh idols of different sizes and colours. This women’s group was earlier associated with clay art. Now, after the RIPA scheme, they have received more resources and opportunities. Women of Chandrahasini self-help group, associated with Gram Panchayat Godbahal Gauthan of Pithora development block of Mahasamund district, are making Ganesh idols under the RIPA scheme. This time, Ganpati idols made by the women of the group will be found in homes and pandals at various places.
Group Chairman Neera Nishad said that they are making about 500 Ganesh idols. The first batch has been launched in the market and has received a good response. She says that this time an income of around Rs 1 lakh is expected from the sale of Ganesh idol itself. She informed that she is selling Ganesh idols in different sizes, ranging from Rs 200 to Rs 4000, in various colors and attractive designs.
She added that before joining the RIPA scheme, all the members used to work as agricultural laborers and clay art workers. Clay was not a sufficient resource for art work and was also not a source of sustainable income. Now, they feel happy to be self-reliant while working under RIPA. She said that there are 10 women in the group. After the implementation of the RIPA scheme, the Chandrahasini Self-Help Group is conducting clay art work.
The group earns an income of about 8 thousand rupees per month through clay art activities under RIPA. So far, after deducting the expenses, the group has earned approximately Rs 3 lakh from the clay art work. All the members of the group have considered the work of clay art as their future and thanked the state government for the opportunity.
