The Kudumbasree Mission is preparing to launch a pilot project titled Home Shop to empower rural women in the marketing sector.
The project, a community-based marketing and distribution system of the Kudumbasree, is envisaged to take branded consumer products of Kudumbasree to consumers’ doorstep, P.P. Mohammed, district coordinator, Kudumbasree Mission, told The Hindu . It would be launched in five grama panchayats in the district in the first phase and would be extended to all grama panchayats and municipalities later.
“We have trained 30 members, including five tribal women, from five community development societies in Panamaram block panchayat for the project. They will act as Home Shop Operators (HSO) to market Kudumbasree products,” he said. A five-member marketing management team has also been constituted to procure products such as curry powders, pickles, rice flour, washing powder, and eatables from each micro enterprise of the Kudumbasree.
The team would supply the products to HSOs after packing, labelling, and branding them. The HSOs would deliver products as per consumers’ demands. Consumers can also purchase the products from the house of HSOs.
Kudumbasree has provided the HSOs with uniform, identity card, and carry bags. As many as 500 HSOs, including 100 tribal women, would be trained in the second phase of the project. They would supply branded Kudumbasree products to consumers in the district, Mr. Mohammed said.
A 28-member committee, chaired by the district coordinator, would monitor the functioning of the project, he added. I.C. Balakrishnan, MLA, will inaugurate the project at the grama panchayat community hall at Panamaram at 10 a.m. on Sunday.
