Voluntary organisation Self Employed Womens Organisation (Sewa) has set up a rural marketing network called Rudi Bazaar which will be managed by its rural women members. | |
| To begin with, 25 commonly used products have been launched. |
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| National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (Nabard) chairperson Ranjana Kumar formally launched the pilot project in Sabarkantha district on Wednesday. |
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| All products will be sold under the brand name `Rudi' which will be made, packed and sold by women members of Sewa. Kumar said while every woman involved in the project earns around Rs 1,000 a month, small and marginal farmers will also gain as they sell their produce to these women instead of shroffs or middlemen. |
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| Rudi Bazaar has been established by Sewa Gram Mahila Haat (SGMH), the agriculture marketing arm of Sewa that handles entrepreneurship activities of the members. |
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| The produce (mainly agri-based products) of over 4,000 self-help groups comprising over 3.50 lakh women of 14 districts of Gujarat is procured, graded, sorted, cleaned and packed which will by sold though the network. |
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| Hindustan Lever Ltd (HLL) and Grassroots Trading Network have assisted SGMH in providing the necessary technical expertise and capability in setting up the network. |
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| SGMH will also consider marketing the produce to HLL. |
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| Sheela Sabu, chief co-ordinator of SGHM said: "Only about 40 per cent of the produce is being sold on a home-to-home basis. The remaining will be sold in the open market, where we will enjoy a price advantage. HLL may be a future buyer, as we have already been working with the company." |
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| On Wednesday over half-a-dozen illiterate rural women who are part of the Rudi Bazaar project related their experiences on how the movement has helped them become self reliant. |
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