To promote entrepreneurship and livelihoods, the district administration of Sangrur in Punjab, under the leadership of Deputy Commissioner Jitendra Jorwal, has launched PEHEL (Promoting Empowerment of Households through Entrepreneurship and Livelihood).
Through this initiative that is customised especially for Self-Help Groups, startups are being encouraged and, with the administration’s active support, small businesses are being turned into small-scale industries, making entrepreneurs out of the local people.
In an exclusive conversation with Indian Masterminds, ADC Sangrur, IAS officer Varjeet Walia, shared details about the same.
THE IDEA FOR PEHEL
Self-Help groups have been categorized into central groups, village organizations, and Block Level Federations (BLF), and weekly meetings are held to understand the structures and working of the groups and their benefits. In an attempt to reinvent the platform, the District administration of Sangrur decided to make use of the Immunity Enhancement Funds of BLF and give it an entirely new direction.
“We sent our teams to different industries to analyze the possibilities of launching startups such as cow dung log machines, masala making machines, etc. Next, we calculated the profits and losses, investments, market revenues, etc. through data research from all these small-scale industries, and the results were projected in the next village organization meetings,” Mr. Walia told Indian Masterminds.
After projecting all possible startups for the SHGs, according to their interests, the ideas are pursued further so that the people get an opportunity for long-term livelihoods.
ESTABLISHING THEIR OWN INDUSTRIES
Ultimately, funds are provided to the people according to the startup or industry that they wish to join. Gradually, their small businesses turn into small-scale industries enabling them to turn into small entrepreneurs.
Even though the project is just a month old, it has already provided several people with small-time businesses in the form of ration stores, general stores, salons, hardware stores, slipper production units, masala units, cow dung log units, etc.
“Under this, we are providing proper training to all the women active in the SHGs. Through this project, we are trying to open as many small-scale businesses as possible and bring out the entrepreneurship skills of as many people as possible,” shared Mr. Walia.
SCHOOL UNIFORM KITS PRODUCTION
One such startup managed by the SHG women involves the production of school uniform kits for girls of a government senior secondary school. The tender for the production has been given to four different villages.
The women were successful in provisioning the entire uniform set comprising shoes, pullovers, sweaters, caps, and dupattas within the government stipulated cost of one uniform kit. With the success of the pilot project, a large number of schools will now be provided uniform kits through these SHGs.
SUCCESSFUL PROJECT SO FAR
Although the PEHEL project has just been on the map for one month but it has already given birth to 50 new startups and small-scale industries, and the number is continuously increasing.
“This will rise exponentially. Right now, our main focus is to train these people and help them in moving forward. We reckon that the project will benefit thousands of people by next year,” Mr. Walia said in conclusion.
