Bolangir/Titilagarh: In a first, a weekly haat displaying various products marketed and produced by women self-help groups (SHGs) has come up at Titilagarh High School ground in Bolangir district.
State’s Women, Child Development and Mission Shakti Minister Tukuni Sahu inaugurated the haat at a special function Saturday. The haat, with over 100 stalls, displays and sells various products marketed and produced by SHGs.
On display and for sale are traditional cakes like Manda Pitha, fried dal, various food products, vegetables, Badi, household articles, saplings, leaf plates, etc.
Inaugurating the haat, the minister said the Chief Minister has always stressed on making women in the state self-reliant for which a haat has been established for the members of women SHGs. The haat will make women self-dependant and help in their empowerment, she said. Later attempts will be made to open more such haats in other places of the state.
The haat is open once a week every Friday at Maharaja Sagar pond and later arrangements will be made to open it twice a week.
Women SHG members of Titilagarh and surrounding areas will sell and exhibit their products at the market. The women could sell their own manufactured products or any other products at their designated stalls in the haat. Besides, food and other eatables will be available for the visitors.
Jugaleshwari Dash, project director, District Urban Development Agency (DUDA); Sub-Collector Sudhakar Nayak; District Social Welfare Officer Binodini Pradhan; Titilagarh block chairperson Ramakant Putel; Executive Officer of Titilagarh Municiplaity Santosh Kumar Behera; sub-divisional public relations officer Manoj Behera, and many political representatives were present at the event.
Meanwhile, members of several SHGs expressed their happiness that for the first time a weekly haat has come up for them.
PNN