Hailing from a non-descript village of Chandpurbela in Ropar district, an illiterate villager Seema has given a new lease of life to over 10 villages in Punjab’s backward belt.
A woman farmer, she has scripted her way to success by efficiently marketing pickles, juices, chutni and aloe vera products.
Under Agriculture Technology Management Agency (ATMA) Scheme, Seema has been catalytic in changing the socio-economic lives of the State’s farmers. “Thanks to her initiative, now the farmers are empowered to make financial decision and can support their family for education of their children,” said the state Agriculture director Mangal Singh Sandhu on Monday.
Sandhu, disclosing success story of women empowerment, said that Seema Rani from Chandpurbela village was a “spectacular role model for the rural women”.
“Due to economic conditions, she took courageous step to join the self help group (SHG) of the village and developed her family economically and socially. She was identified as a potential woman to lead SHG,” he said. Sandhu said that various income generation activities were explored, based on viability of the activities. Training of income generation was provided to all the members of the SHG from various institutions, he said.
She motivated the members to adopt the income generating activities as per their interest and ability, said Agriculture director.
“From the fruitful experience of SHGs, 10 other SHGs in the adjoining villages have been formed. Now, she produces high quality aloe vera juice, pickle, chutni and manage its marketing on her own,” he said.
For such efforts, she was awarded first prize in the income generating activities, he said adding that she was also awarded during Bharat Jan Soochna Nirman Programme.
“With her continuous motivation, all the members of SHG are engaged in one or the other activity for income generation and replication of the process of SHG, and other income generating activities is the great success of this SHG,” he said.