Comments
To help families of tea estate labourers in the Nilgiris tide over the job loss arising from uneconomic returns from tea, a project has been launched to help unemployed women gain economic independence by becoming entrepreneurs.
This project has been launched by the Union Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) exclusively for women and physically challenged persons belonging to the marginalised sections.
“It comprises a six-week Entrepreneurship Skill Development Programme to help trainees start small enterprises. We give stipends to the trainees. On successful completion, subject to viability of candidates' projects, we will recommend them for need-based credit facilities under Government schemes,” Ms B. Kayalvizhi, Assistant Director, MSME Development Institute, Coimbatore, told Business Line .
“It has been stressed that to succeed in MSME, entrepreneurs should focus on another MSME – Manufacturing, Servicing, Marketing and Efficiency. So we will enhance participants' knowledge towards these stressing on five principles — winning by merit; not mercy, extending entrepreneurship for consumers' delight, creating demand, strengthening demand-oriented production and thinking differently,” she explained.
“We are sponsoring unemployed women from our labour families get trained in manufacturing and marketing value-added tea. Likewise, they can be trained in value adding to Nilgiris vegetables and fruits through pickles, jam, jellies, juice and squash. There are some 400 varieties of medicinal plants in the Nilgiris which can be tapped for manufacturing essential oils including rosemary, thyme, geranium, oregano, parsley, sage and gaultheria besides eucalyptus oil,” said YMCA Chairman, Mr G. Stephen Jayaseelan, a tea grower.
“Women from estate families can succeed by diversifying in dry cleaning, coat and warm cloth stitching, paper and cloth bag making, beauty/health parlour, catering, DTP, e-marketing, servicing of mobile phones, computers, TV, grinders and mixies,” resource person Mr M. A. Raheem, said.
“Entrepreneurs from plantation backdrop can succeed in adventure and eco-tourism provision,” YMCA General Secretary, Mr G. Premanand, added.
Comments
COMMENT NOW
Comments
Comments have to be in English, and in full sentences. They cannot be abusive or personal. Please abide by our community guidelines for posting your comments.
We have migrated to a new commenting platform. If you are already a registered user of TheHindu Businessline and logged in, you may continue to engage with our articles. If you do not have an account please register and login to post comments. Users can access their older comments by logging into their accounts on Vuukle.