State mulls introduction of Marketing Groups to help SHGs

Kolkata: The state government is planning to introduce Marketing Groups that will act as a link between Self-Help Groups (SHGs) and major markets and promote the products manufactured by the SHGs.

With the introduction of the Marketing Groups, the SHGs will get immensely benefitted as the products manufactured by them will be marketed properly.

The Marketing Groups will be procuring goods from SHGs and the same will be marketed in major markets.

The state government will be extending support to the Marketing Groups and they will also be helped with bank finance.

It may be mentioned that the state government has taken several steps for the promotion of SHGs and to help them in taking up projects to ensure a better livelihood.

Thousands of women from districts are now involved with SHGs and several steps were also taken for better marketing of their produce. Now, with the introduction of the Marketing Groups, the scope of distribution of the products prepared by SHGs will get widened and the problem of finding market for their products will no longer exist.

Since there is a need of special training for marketing a product, the Marketing Groups will be specialized in doing the same. The members of the Marketing Groups will also be from SHGs. But their main task will be to ensure a better market, promotion and sell of the goods. Hence, the members of SHGs, who are directly involved with production of goods, will no longer have to worry for the marketing of the same.

There could be training programmes for the members of the Marketing Groups for skill development and promotion of goods prepared by SHGs.

It may be mentioned that the state Cooperation department has also taken up the initiative of developing resource persons from Self-Help Groups for preservation and easy processing techniques of fruits and vegetables.

It will help in checking the wastage of fruits and vegetables, besides making it available in off-seasons. At the same time, it will also create job opportunities for many.