Mandsaur's women sweeten the big cities
The 'Maharana Group' of Pipalya Karadiya village has become a model of self-employment: by making juices and shakes, its women have built a self-reliant business and created jobs for others.
Bhopal. With women at its heart, the State Rural Livelihood Mission is working actively across Madhya Pradesh. Thanks to its effective initiatives, the women of Pipalya Karadiya village in Mandsaur district have written an inspiring story of self-reliance. The 'Maharana Self-Help Group' is not only strengthening its own finances but also creating jobs for others. The group's women have become skilled at making natural, tasty juices and shakes. Their products include lemon, jeera (cumin), ginger-lemon, raw mango and amla juices, along with milkshake, almond shake, Rajbhog and Shahi Gulab (royal rose) shakes, all of which are proving popular with customers.
Under the Rural Livelihood Mission, the Mandsaur group received financial support to grow: a bank loan of ₹5 lakh, a community investment fund of ₹1.5 lakh and a revolving fund of ₹10,000. This support gave the group an important foundation for strengthening and expanding its business.
Their products are now known in Delhi and Chandigarh
With the guidance and support of the Livelihood Mission, the group has moved beyond the local market and built a national identity. By taking part in fairs in big cities such as Ujjain, Bhopal, Delhi, Noida, Surat, Vadodara, Chandigarh and Gurugram, it has established a distinct name for its products. The Maharana Self-Help Group earns a net income of ₹25,000 to ₹30,000 a month, taking its annual income to about ₹4 lakh. The group is financially empowering its 10 women members while also providing direct employment to ten other people. Today the 'Maharana Group' has become an inspiration for rural women, carrying the message that with the right guidance and government support, no goal is impossible.
Women lead the way in these ventures across the state
In Madhya Pradesh, women are taking on leadership roles by running Didi Cafes, homestays and many small industries and businesses, and even by managing toll plazas. More than 62 lakh (6.2 million) women have become self-reliant through around 5 lakh self-help groups. The state's women's empowerment campaign has seen real success: while daughters in the cities are flying aircraft as pilots, daughters from rural areas are winning medals in cricket and other sports and in adventure activities such as mountaineering, bringing glory to the country and the state.
