Pune Software Exporters' Association to promote SHGs

Member companies of the Software Exporters’ Association of Pune(SEAP) has extended a helping hand to Agricultural Development Trust (ADT), Baramati (Organisers of Bhimthadi) by promising to facilitate sale of ‘Bhimthadi’ products made by several self help groups amongst its member companies.

Bhimthadi Jatra is an annual mega rural carnival is now taking a shape of a brand, a brand of various products manufactured by the SHGs.

For the first time, a series of nine products is being introduced for sale in a pilot project under the ‘Bhimthadi’ brand.

In the last four years more than one thousand SHGs has sold products worth Rs 10 crore and over 5000 women are working for these groups.

Under this tie-up, SEAP member companies will allow ADT to set up a stall to sale Bhimthadi products at their premises on a pre decided date and will create awareness about the same amongst its employees, thereby helping ADT to sale ‘Bhimthadi’ products.

The initiative was launched on Wednesday in Pune by Gaurav Mehra, President of Software Exporters’ Association of Pune (SEAP) and Sunanda Pawar, trustee, Agricultural Development Trust, Baramati.

"We are very happy to be associated with ADT in this initiative and are equally glad to see the response from the member companies to participate in this drive. Apart from providing space to set up their stalls, we would also be encouraging them to try the SHGs from Bhimthadi, which have now turned catering contractors on certain special occasions", said Gaurav Mehra, President, SEAP.

Sunanda Pawar, Trustee ADT said, “This initiative will help us to understand the requirement of an end consumer in a better way and will provide the necessary guidelines to us regarding our plans to launch ‘Bhimthadi’ as a retail brand of women SHGs.”

He further added, “We have undertaken a lot of effort to train these SHGs in packaging. All products will have details like ingredients, net weight, price, expiry date and name of Self Help Group which manufactured it on its packaging.”

The first series of nine products, which would be introduced for sale in SEAP member companies, includes various spices and pickles.

According to SEAP, After QLogic, Bhimthadi will be put up in all campuses of Persistent Systems Limited, edknee, Inteliment Technologies and Saba Software.