State SHGs earn about Rs 100 cr through sale & supply of products

Kolkata: The Self-Help-Groups (SHGs) under the Panchayat and Rural Development (P&RD) department have earned Rs 100 crore in the 2024-25 fiscal through sale in fairs and supply of handicraft items to the state government.

The bulk of the earnings were through participation in fairs organised by the state government departments within and outside the state.

Handicrafts and handloom items sold like hot cakes while varieties of rice such as Tulaipanji, Radhatilak etc also registered good sales. More than 3,500 SHGs sold their own products in these fairs and have earned Rs 68 crore.

The Sristishree outlets across the state selling handloom and handicraft items manufactured by the SHGs saw a good number of buyers. The revenue from these outlets was Rs 4 crore. The SHG women earned Rs 8 crore through supply to government and private entities.

The state government has set a target of forming another one lakh SHGs with priority in tribal, hills and Sunderban areas. Groundwork for the same has started.

The state Cabinet in December 2024 approved setting up of shopping malls at every district headquarters on the condition of dedicating two of its floors to the SHGs for marketing their various products.

Eight such malls in Cooch Behar, Howrah, North Dinajpur, Bankura, Jalpaiguri (2), West Midnapore and Jhargram received clearance from the Cabinet.The state is providing one acre land at every district headquarter free of cost, inviting private players to set up such malls.

There will be cinema halls and restaurants at such shopping complexes along with underground parking facilities, community hall etc.