Arunachal: Pudu Apu MCLF & Ngunu Sango VDVKC inaugurated at Hong Village
Apatani women SHG model can be emulated by other women SHG’s of AP: DC
ZIRO- The Apatani women Self-Help Group (SHG) model is quite innovative and industrious whose example can be replicated by other women SHG’s in the state, said Lower Subansiri Deputy Commissioner Vivek H.P while inaugurating the Pudu Apu Model Cluster Level Federation and Ngunu Sango Van Dhan Vikas Kendra Centre (VDVKC) at Yolyo under Hong village here yesterday.
The Yolyo VDVKC is a small-scale food processing unit funded by TRIFED with 15 lakhs as the initial start-up capital. Set up at a defunct 5-classroom SSI school building and renovated literally by the women themselves including repair and painting of the dilapidated school to be used as their unit, the VDVKC would produce liquid and wet products from the locally available fruits and vegetables including juice, pickles, jam, jelly etc.
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A similar successful VDVK unit run by women SHG also exists in the nearby vicinity at Biiri village near the Ziro Festival of Music Ground which is engaged in processing and value addition of dried local maize and millet products including millet flours which is a huge hit at the local market.
Appreciating the VDVKC to be manned and run by all women group consisting of 449 members from the 64 Self-Help Groups of Hong-Hari Block under the close supervision of ArSRLM Block Mission unit staffs, the DC urged the women to be ‘self-reliant’ and strive for ‘sustainable development’.
Ziro Plateau is blessed with immense potential in horticulture. Besides the local favorite kiwi fruit, I suggest we need to explore growing other medicinal and aromatic fruits like Star Anise which is highly successful in China and Vietnam, the DC said.
While urging for convergence and collaborations between the women SHG’s, ASHA and Anganwadi workers, the DC said their joint efforts would bear fruits not only in running such Govt. sponsored ventures but also in bringing the fruits of development to the grassroots levels for which women are the best carriers, the DC said.
Stressing on proper and correct selection of the beneficiaries, the DC further suggested the SHG’s to explore manufacturing local cloth bags with different carrying capacities to replace the single-use polythene bags at the markets.
We all have taken a pledge during the Statehood Day to do away with the use of single-use polythene bags at Ziro. So let us explore an alternative for the same including weaving low cost local hand bags to replace the use of hazardous polythene bags, the DC said.
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Congratulating the women SHG’s on setting up the VDVK unit, SP Keni Bagra said this kind of joint venture augments women empowerment and forges more unity and understanding between them.
District Horticulture Officer Hibu Dante explained the importance of availability of raw materials, pricing, branding and the market linkages.
Hong ZPM’s Punyo Kathe and Hibu Ochey also encouraged the women entrepreneurs and assured to provide local supports in successful running of the unit.
Adap Golo, SMM IBCB ArSRLM Itanagar, Sanjiv Tirkey, PM MIBCB ArSRLM Itanagar, Toko Siga, ME IBCB ArSRLM Itanagar, Rimpi Tage, BMM ArSRLM Ziro,Tage Relyang, DAA DMMU, Ziro, Anu Nalo, DTC FI DMMU Ziro, Maga Aminta DTC SISD DMMU Ziro, Hage Oka from MCLF, ArSRLM Block Coordinator Tadu Konya and Kago Yam from Pudu Apu also spoke during the occasion.
