Pushpavathi Amarnath, president of the Mysuru Zilla Panchayat, called upon women to become entrepreneurs. She said that the government would give a loan of up to Rs.10 lakh to commence a trading activity. Subsidy and technical know-how will be provided to women entrepreneurs, she said.
Inaugurating the workshop for rural women in food processing with horticulture produce here on Tuesday, Ms. Amarnath said that women were in every field today and they were not confined to the four walls of their houses as in the past. Women have proved their mettle in different spheres, she said and called upon rural women to take on entrepreneurship and start earning by themselves. She listed the number of women who had started businesses in a small way and succeeded as big industrialists.
Referring to the farm suicides, she called upon farmers to face the situation bravely and never give room for thoughts like suicide. It is a matter of concern that farmers are committing suicide, she said.
She told farmers that if they were alive they could cultivate crops and settle their debts with their earnings. By committing suicide, you are bringing your whole family on to the streets, she said. “I hope the events at the Dasara celebrations create awareness among farmers,” she said.
Mr. Krishnamurthy, Assistant Director of Horticulture, said that women would be taught about the preparation of pineapple squash, tutti fruity with papaya, banana stem candy, pickle making with different vegetables and how to preserve it without adding any preservatives. He said that the department would help the women to take up food processing by providing technical guidance apart from facilitating them to get bank loans. Basavaraj, Deputy Director of Horticulture Department, and Anand, Senior Assistant Director of Horticulture Department, were present.
