Success Story: Women in the group are prospering by selling diyas and puja materials.

Sales worth ₹1.11 lakh have been mad as of now .

Gaurela Pendra Marwahi (Chhattisgarh) : Women from self-help groups are contributing to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of a self-reliant India. They are prospering by creating artistic diyas and puja materials for Diwali and selling them in local markets.

With the support of the district administration and the Rural Livelihood Mission, 12 women from five women self-help groups in Pendra district have so far produced 70,000 earthen lamps. They are also preparing incense sticks, wicks, and torans and selling them in the local markets of Kotmi, Navagaon, and Kodgar.

The diyas produced by the group have also been displayed and sold at the Saras Mela in Raipur. The group has sold diyas and puja materials worth ₹1,11,500 so far. Group member Kranti Puri, a resident of Jhabar village, said that this work has generated a profit of approximately 9,000 rupees. She said that this year’s Diwali has become very special for her, and she is very happy with this income.

Block Mission Manager Mandakini Kosaria informed that this work is directly benefiting the families of five women self-help groups. This is not only making women self-reliant but also enabling them to improve their families’ financial situation. This initiative is not only creating employment locally but also promoting the use of traditional lamps. While the sale of earthen lamps has increased women’s income, it is also an environmentally friendly option.