Pickle-making is not something readily relatable to the Army, tasked with fighting militancy here, but as part of its social responsibility, it is helping 75 women learn it and other culinary skills to financially empower them.
With the help of a 60-year-old local woman, an expert in making traditional Bhadarwahi pickle from 'knol-khol', garlic and 'wild shingolay', the Army-run Women Empowerment Centre is training women in various culinary skills, Col D D Pandey, the commanding officer of 4, Rashtriya Rifles.
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Aimed at providing an opportunity to village women to earn their livelihood and improve their household condition, the Army's WEC started working from November 15, he said.
"We have been training women from weaker section of the society in several trades including stitching, tailoring, knitting and information technology but traditional pickle-making of Bhadarwahi 'knol-khol', garlic and 'wild shingolay' has become an instant success.
"We have already sold 180 kgs of pickle in a couple of days and we are flooded with orders. To meet the demand, we are increasing the working hours," the Army officer told PTI.
He said the classes at WEC are being conducted from November 15.
"A total of 75 women from socially and economically backward strata of the society have been trained on the nuances of the traditional pickle-making with an aim to enable them to become financially independent and self-employed," he said.
He said the Army wants to empower women residents of remote villages so that they can play their part in improving the overall condition of their families.
For the women of remote villages in the mountainous sub-district of Bhaderwah in Chenab valley, the initiative was taken well by the local residents.
"I have been making pickles of 'knol-khol' and wild 'shingolay' for last 40 years and keep on running from shop to shop and house to house to sell it. This initiative of Army has come as a blessing in disguise for me as I have not only been training girls here but my pickles have also become an instant hit and are selling like hot cakes," 60-year-old Ratna Devi of village Deechno-Gutasa said.
Praising the unique initiative of the Army, she said it gave her a new lease of life.
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