Pimpri-Chinchwad gets its first marketing centre for SHGs

Pimpri-Chinchwad's first marketing centre to aid self-help groups has been set up by a group of young people in Kasarwadi. It will market the products of SHGs in the suburbs, without charging any fee.

The Kasarwadi-Bachat Gat's (KBC) marketing centre was inaugurated at a function by chief guest P I Varghese, chairman and managing director of Suvarna Fibrotech Ltd. Transporter Rajendra Shelkhe was guest of honour. The SHG centre is located in the suburbs at Shelkhe Apartment.

Municipal Commissioner Shrikar Pardeshi said if the model is successful, it can be replicated in the town.

The marketing centre aims at covering 70 SHGs in Kasarwadi as also others from Pimpri-Chinchwad wanting to market their products. Many SHGs are attached with Marshall Company that has been training and guiding women in developing skills for creating marketable products.

"The marketing centre has been set up to provide an effective platform for self-help groups to showcase their skills and products. Whether food products or clothes, it will market anything and everything. It is only for self-help groups registered with PCMC," said activist Munir Ramdurg.

He said the marketing centre would not only market products of "bachat gat" members free of cost, but also help them in branding and packaging. "We aim to convert home-makers into women entrepreneurs," said Jayant Kariya, another key member of the group.

Lahoo Landge, a member of the group, said self-help groups being formed for the sake of just forming them was what triggered the move to start a marketing centre. "It has been seen that several self-help groups are formed only to claim funds from the PCMC. After they succeed in taking the funds, the disappear into oblivion. In Kasarwadi, only a few of them prodded on by Marshall company actually function," he said.

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