Members of around 20 women self-help groups, from different districts, are exhibiting their produce in the four-day exhibition-cum-sale organised by the Department of Women and Child Development in Hassan. The exhibition, which began on Friday, will continue till Monday. Women from Hassan, Chamarajanagar, Mysore, Davangere and Tumkur districts are showcasing their products, which include hand-made toys, home-made snacks, garments and decorative items.
Among the stalls, the sellers of snacks and special dishes from Davangere have been attracting a lot of customers. A woman from Davangere said, “We have brought jowar roti from our place. People of Hassan like it. We have been participating in the exhibition in Hassan for last eight years.” A women’s group from K.R.Puram in Hassan has also set up a jowar roti shop. “We have been in the business of making rotis for last four-five years. We have a hotel in Hassan as well. There are many people who visit our hotel for north Karnataka dishes”, she said. A woman from K.R.Nagar is selling products of her garment unit.
The department has given them an opportunity to sell their products with the basic infrastructure facilities for four days. Some of the groups participating in the event have obtained loan facility to take up self-employment.
A. Manju, Minister for Sericulture and Animal Husbandry, who is also in-charge of Hassan district, inaugurated the exhibition. He, along with Hassan Zilla Panchayat president Shwetha Devaraj and senior officers of the district, tasted snacks for sale in the exhibition. They congratulated the women for taking self-employment and also wished them good in their business.
Hassan MLA H.S.Prakash, who participated in the inauguration ceremony, opined that women self-help groups need facilities to sell their products. “The government should help them get a suitable place so that they set up shops and do business. Such a move will help a large number of women”, he said.
Deputy Commissioner V. Chaitra, Zilla Panchayat CEO R. Venkatesh Kumar, Women and Child Development Department Deputy Director N.R. Purushottam and others were present.
