‘Swayam’ Model for SHG Women Entrepreneurs Presented

Nellore: A proposal to set up processing and packaging centers aimed at turning Self-Help Group (SHG) women into micro-entrepreneurs under the Andhra Pradesh government’s flagship “One Family – One Entrepreneur” initiative was submitted to the authorities on Sunday.

By Desi representatives and officials of the poverty eradication mission in municipal areas (MEPMA) met to discuss the project, which aims to enable SHG women to go beyond production and take up processing, branding, packaging, marketing and market linkages as sustainable entrepreneurs.

At the meeting, the By Desi team explained that the products marketed under the proposed brand “Swayam” will help create a stable source of income for SHG women while ensuring better prices for farmers by promoting value-added local products. They suggested that the initiative be launched on a pilot basis in Nellore, Guntur and Parvathipuram Manyam districts before being expanded to Andhra Pradesh.

The initiative has the potential to increase women’s economic empowerment, create rural employment, strengthen value-added agribusinesses and contribute to the state’s vision of ‘Atmanirbhar Andhra Pradesh’, officials said.

The proposal was evaluated positively during the meeting, with discussions focusing on aligning it with the government’s objective of increasing the income of SHG women through entrepreneurship-oriented initiatives.

Municipal commissioner VO Nandan, MEPMA Nellore project director M. Kiran Kumar, MEPMA officials and By Desi representatives Harsha Reddy, Karthik Pattipati and Shanmith attended the meeting.