Women entrepreneurs & SHGs to sell homemade, natural product on Amazon and Flipkart in Himachal

To provide a wider market to products made by  women self-help groups (SHGs) the rural development department  will list 2.80 lac women from 27000 Self-Help Groups  on the Centre’s ecommerce platform Government e-Marketplace (GeM) and e commerce sites like Amazon, Flipkart etc  to    give  mega push for women entrepreneurs said Virender Kanwar Rural Development Minister here today.

The platform  would enable small artisans  living in the remote, backward and  snowbound areas of the hill state to showcase their  original, natural and handmade products    and connect them with buyers not just from Himachal  but also across the country.
The process of uploading the SHG products on e-commerce website along with GeM is under progress and  the products of SHG made under the umbrella brand HIM –IRA will be made  available  on e  commerce  websites  along with GeM   to help small artisans to sell their products at attractive prices.
The    necessary standardization procedure and quality tests along with paper work is being completed expeditiously to provide sustainable livelihood opportunities to the SHG women.
This would  also  integrate  SHGs with the government’s public finance management system (PFMS), which would mean easy payment for their sales said Virender Kanwar Rural Development Minister here today. The government will also help the SHGs in branding, packaging and pricing their products to make them more marketable. 
This new platform will open doors of growth and ensure their business gains maximum profit.
At present the products made by women self help groups are   are being displayed for sale at Govt. emporiums.
 Himachal Pradeh Rural Livelihood Mission(HPSRLM,) RDD has established an outlet at HP Sect. Shimla  giving them a  platform to sell their products.
The tourism department has also agreed to display these products at all the tourism hotels in the state free of cost to ensure financial independence to rural women .

There seems to be huge demand for ethnic organic products ranging from dry fruits , medicinal herbs , honey ,spices , millets , handicrafts and handlooms  as craze for such products is increasing among elites, rich class  in metropolitan cities   which are being marketed   by the trade name of HIM IRA  

  At present,    more than 12000 SHGs are involved in the activities related to production of different products in non-farm sector and more than 15000 SHGs are involved in farm related activities in the state under the ambit of National Rural Livelihood Mission .

 The varied products they make  are usually sold at Him Ira Shops and weekly bazaars in Himachal at present   by the trade name of HIM IRA.

The members of the SHG groups supported by NRLM  received training and an initial funding from Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs,) Rural Self Employenment Training Institutes ( RSETIs), Horticulture Department, HPMC and NGOs in convergence with Himachal State Rural Livelihood Mission (HPSRLM) 

The SHG  groups sell their products at local level at  Him IRA SHG shops which are constructed by the Panchayat, Block Samiti or any other Govt. institution for commercial purpose. 

Currently 40 Him IRA shops are in operation in various parts of the state and state govt aims to set up around 100 HIM IRA shops in all district of the state in near future so as genuine , authentic and native  products of self-help groups reach mainstream markets without the interference of a middle man or vendor.

 Besides it the govt has provided marketing facilities to SHG through weekly bazaars under which HIM  IRA weekly market is being organized at  all the 81 blocks  preferably near DC  office campus, DRDA campus or Block Office Campus or any other Govt. place which is convenient to the customers and Govt is charging a nominal  fees of Rs 30 per stall from SHG for making necessary arrangements such as drinking water and electricity etc. at the market place .

During the last one year on  an average sale of Rs 23000 weekly has been recorded at Weekly Market while  around Rs 45000 average sale has been recorded from the HIM IRA shops each Month in operation in the state. 

By selling the products produced by SHGs through HIM IRA shop a SHG women member is earning around ₹ 200-300 daily  said Virender Kanwar Rural Development Minister here today.

HPLRLM has provided a community investment fund at rate of 50000 per SHG to start livelihood activities. 

Any SHG can avail CIF for such activities at nominal rate of interest. Instead of this SHGs are also being credit linked with the banks to avail bank loans. GoI has provided interest subvention on the loan upto 3.00 lacs.

The Govt. has decided to provide additional interest subvention to SHGs, who are interested to take loan upto 5.00 lacs.

The raw material is being arranged by the SHGs on their own, Department has  provided the facilitation support and  assistance to  SHGs during the initial phase in the beginning said Virender Kanwar Rural Development Minister here today .

In the module of HIMIRA SHG Shop has planned to appoint a nodal SHG or Village Organization who would operate the SHOP in the area and the nearby SHG members could placed their products including daily need items such as milk, paneer, curd, vegetables, fruits produced by them at the SHOP. 

The nodal SHG will select one or two persons from the group of the members who will sit at shop and sell the material on commission basis. 

The model provides livelihood or income generation opportunities to the SHG members as well as the saleswomen who are going to sit at shop and to sell products directly to the customers. The rate of the commission has been decided by the SHG members with their mutual consent.

Products are being produced by the SHGs, village organization collectively or individually as per the availability of raw material .

Project HimIRA Shop & Weekly market has won Civil Services Award, HP Govt for the Year 2020,  said Mr Kanwar