It will facilitate marketing of SHG products: Chief GM NABARD Dr AK Sood

AWANTIPORA: First rural mart of Self Help Groups (SHGs) was on Friday inaugurated by Chief General Manager, NABARD J&K Regional Office, AK Sood, on the national highway at Charsoo Awantipora area of south Kashmir’s Pulwama district.

The function was attended by Surinder Sing, DGM NABARD, Srinagar, Additional Deputy Commissioner Awantipora Zaffar Husson Shawl, Junaid Ahmad Hakim, DDM NABARD, Pulwama, Imtiyaz Khan, LDM, Pulwama, Gulzar Ahmad, RM EDB. Several members of various SHGs from the district attended the event, officials told Kashmir Reader.

This initiative is aimed at providing a platform for the SHGs in Pulwama to showcase their products and create a market for them. It is an important step towards promoting entrepreneurship and economic development in the respective district.

A K Sood encouraged the female SGH members to use the mart as an opportunity for economic development and ensure the continuity, quality and quantity of local goods for locals as well as tourists.

Talking to Kashmir Reader, Sood said there are around 3000 SHGs in Pulwama which make different products. He said that they were facing difficulties in marketing their products.

“The rural mart is located along the NH in Awantipora where there is a lot of tourist footfall,” he said, adding that the location will aid them in marketing their products.

Sood said the idea of rural marts was floated by the Finance Minister during her visit to Kashmir last year. “The action plans were prepared on the directions of our Finance Minister and gradually they will be expanded to other places,” he said.

Talking to Kashmir Reader, Junaid Hakim, District Development Manager NABARD said their organisation works for agriculture and rural development. He said in that context they ought to help SHGs.

“We are providing a platform to women of various SHGs so that they can sell their products throughout the country,” he said, adding that the rural mart at NH can be used by SHGs members for developing contacts with people from throughout the country and can sell them their products.

“NABARD has done three rural marts and established Farmer Produce Organisations (FPOs), a shop of which was established at Lethpora,” he said.

BILAL HABIB