As the International Women’s Day is celebrated across the globe on Sunday, the Panchayat Level Federation (PLF) at Theraikalpudur near Nagercoil has decided to “make it happen,” the theme of the day, said its Secretary P. Krishnaveni here on Saturday.
The Theraikalpudur Panchayat-level Federation has women self help groups functioning in 7 habitations under it.
As the federation became dysfunctional in 2005, the officials of the Mahalir Thittam restructured it in 2009 through democratically elected representatives’ including 11 Executive Committee members with adequate representation to SC/STs, differently-abled as its office-bearers.
The new team headed by its President M. Indira, wife of a Retired ISRO official and P. Krishnaveni, a Post Graduate in Chemistry with B.Ed qualification as Secretary gave a new thrust by obtaining a loan of Rs. 25 lakh in 2010 with Theraikalpudur Primary Agriculture Cooperative Bank (PACB).
The fire in the belly of the PLF office-bearers paved way for establishment of a fishnet production unit in Theraikalpudur in 2012 with the loan of Rs. 50-lakh from PACB.
They had invested 30 per cent of the loan in the fishnet production unit and the rest of the amount was equally distributed to SHGs.
The unit is making a profit of 60 to 65 per cent and mulling to commission a new Japanese equipment on the advice of Collector Sajjansingh R. Chavan.
Suggestions
The Collector recently visited the unit and offered suggestions to improve the quality and quantity of production, Ms. Krishnaveni said.
Besides fishnet production, the members of PLF were also involved in stitching nighties and taking up value addition work for saris such as Zardhosi, fixing stones and materials for salwars with the help of modern sewing machines supplied by the government free of cost.
Sources in the Mahalir Thittam told The Hindu that Rs. 16.03-crore was distributed to 48 PLFs and Rs. 1.14-crore to Vilathurai Panchayat Level Federation in Munchirai Panchayat Union on Friday.
Large quantum
It was considered to be the large quantum of loan provided to a PLF in the state.
As many as 16,468 SHGs are functioning in the district under the Mahalir Thittam, of which 7,194 are from rural areas in the financial year 2014-15, the official added.
