Ranchi, 29 July (HS). Chief Minister Hemant Soren launched the Palash branding and marketing strategy on 29 September 2020 with the aim of ensuring market and respectable profit for the products of rural women entrepreneurs of the state throughout the year and establishing rural women as “market leaders” of the rural economy. Today its positive results are in front of us.
Through the innovative effort Palash branding and marketing strategy being implemented on the instructions of the Chief Minister, 29 different types of products are being made available for sale in the open market so far. A total gross sale of Rs 3982.00 lakh has been done in less than three years. More than one lakh rural women of the state's self-help groups are increasing their income by supplying their agricultural products and other processing, packaging and sales work in the Palash brand and are giving impetus to the rural economy and connecting it to the mainstream. On the instructions of the Chief Minister, “Palash Enterprises Company” is being formed for the pure commercial operation of the Palash brand, which has become the identity of the products of rural women.
Aim set to boost rural economy
For poverty eradication in the rural areas of the state, the Chief Minister has set a target to ensure rapid development and growth in the rural economy to bring the poor families out of the vicious circle of poverty. For this big change in the rural economy, work was done to provide proper place and maximum profit in the market to the products manufactured by lakhs of rural women entrepreneurs of the state associated with Sakhi Mandal.
To achieve this objective, rural women farmers and entrepreneurs are being rapidly prepared in rural areas in their own rural environment for new technology, training, capital, entrepreneurial skills, product packaging, collection, storage, processing, production, packaging and branding process. With the resolve to ensure access to these necessary technologies, skills, infrastructure, trained human resources and financial resource ecosystem to every rural and tribal women entrepreneur, the state government is continuously working on the Palash branding and marketing strategy.
The product is getting a market, the entrepreneurs are getting respect
Considering the credibility of the Palash brand, the products of the “Palash Brand” were awarded the first prize by the Government of India in the National Livelihood Saras Mela held recently at Noida Haat, Uttar Pradesh. Palash Mart has been the center of attraction as a rural women's brand in the World Food India International Conference organized by the Government of India at Bharat Mandapam, Pragati Maidan. The Palash brand is proving to be a milestone in helping the rural women of Jharkhand gain a respectable position as a market force in the form of the Palash brand.
Expansion of Palaash Ecosystem
The Jharkhand government is trying to connect rural women entrepreneurs of the state with the Palash brand. Under the strategy being adopted for the Palash brand products, 23 Palash collection centers, 45 processing centers, 155 production centers, 19 Palash packaging and branding centers and 46 “Palash Marts” have been started so far. Approval has been given for the construction of Palash Mall in the main business area of Ranchi.
Besides, in other tribal dominated districts of the state such as Dumka, West Singhbhum, Pakur, Lohardaga and Khunti, land has been acquired for the construction work and approval has been given. In order to promote and encourage the sale of Palash brand products along with the products of lakhs of rural women entrepreneurs associated with Sakhi Mandal, two National Saras Mela are being organized every year in the state. Special measures have been taken to prominently display and sell Palash products in the International Tribal Festival organized by the state government.
Turnover above 1100 lakhs
The deputy commissioners of all the districts have been directed to provide free stalls for exhibition and sale of Palash products in government and non-government festivals, fairs, expos, trade fairs organized in the districts. Participation of enterprising rural women of the state associated with Palash products is being ensured in Saras Mela, trade fairs and international fairs organized in other states. Last year, enterprising sisters of Sakhi Mandal participated in Saras and other national and international level fairs organized in 19 states and the country's capital Delhi and commercial capital Mumbai and did a business of more than 1100 lakh rupees.
Proving to be the main link for livelihood promotion
From this year, the state government has planned to promote the products of rural and tribal women entrepreneurs by organizing special local fairs and entrepreneurship fortnight in all the districts so that the participation of women in the rural economy can be expanded. Palash branding and marketing strategy is proving to be the main link in the livelihood promotion of rural women. Through branding and marketing, the trend of adopting the importance of quality of the product of rural women entrepreneurs, modernization of production unit, cleanliness of production process and safe environment as a priority is being shown and the goal of rural women entrepreneurs is becoming to create a competitive place for their products in the main market. A self-reliant rural woman entrepreneur is determined to create her own place in the open market on the basis of her skills and ability and is blowing the trumpet of a comprehensive change in the rural economy of Jharkhand.