Brand Manjeera diversifies, offers new products

Sarvodaya Women Entrepreneurs to enter into millets and spices as well

The Sarvodaya Women Entrepreneurs Private Limited, based at Gonglur in Pulkal mandal of Sangareddy district, has been making inroads into the market slowly. The Sarvodaya Women Entrepreneurs Cottage Industry (SWECI) run by them has been involving self-help groups (SHGs) in making the products and marketing them.

Retired IRS officer Dr. R. K. Paliwal released Sarvo Magic detergent cake, liquid detergent and washing powder in a programme held at the village on Sunday.

Prior to that, on February 16 this year, in the first phase, the SWECI had released oils, hand-made soaps and dals into the market under the brand name Manjeera. Central Board of Direct Taxes former chairman J.B. Mohapatra had released these products.

The Sarvodaya industry has been marketing as many as 15 varieties of soaps such as papaya, cucumber, shea butter, charcoal, aloe vera, red wine, goat milk, neem, tulsi and cocoa butter-based.

Cold-pressed edible oils such as coconut, groundnut, sesame, sunflower, besides moong dal and toor dal are also being marketed by the SWECI. While an outlet is being run at the district headquarters of Sangareddy, another mobile marketing van is being used to sell produce at places like Hyderabad. In the last six months, the SWECI was able to achieve a business of about ₹ 16 lakh

The activity was started about three years ago when a group of officers led by P. Sudhakar Naik, Deputy Commissioner, Income Tax, a promoter of Sarvodaya activities, adopted the village, took up development works and interacted with women in self-help groups and shared their ideas about involving them in entrepreneurial activities. Though initially hesitant, the women slowly become part of the entity. As many as 40 women from different SHG groups are taking part in the activities in addition to 60 women doctors and 20 other women from different professions.

About 20 local women, also shareholders, are working in the cottage industry and they are being paid a monthly salary of ₹ 8,000. The women in the SWECI themselves have decided to cap the wages till the industry gains a standing in the market with considerable returns. The SWECI is also planning to enter into production and marketing of millets and spices as well in the next few months to come.