Shakuntala Rajwade became self-reliant with 'Bihan', income base increased with low-cost farming

Quality paddy seed obtained from producer group, farming getting a new direction with line method and technical guidance.

Raipur, Chhattisgarh government's state rural livelihood mission 'Bihan' is playing an important role in organizing rural women and making them economically self-reliant. Through self-help groups, women are being connected to agriculture, animal husbandry and other livelihood activities, along with providing agricultural inputs, quality seeds, technical guidance and market linkage. Its positive results are now visible in the income and confidence of rural women.

Mrs. Shakuntala Rajwade of Jhumarpra in Surguja district is an inspiring example of this. Joining the Gayatri Self-Help Group, she is advancing agricultural activities with new technology and better management. Through the producer group, she obtained paddy seeds at a lower cost compared to the market price, which she used in one acre of land.

Quality seed at low cost

Shakuntala Rajwade says that through the producer group, she received paddy seeds at a rate of less than 20 rupees. This reduced the initial cost of farming and ensured the availability of quality seeds. With the guidance of Krishi Sakhi and Pashu Sakhi, she has taken steps towards increasing production and income by adopting new methods in farming.

Farming gets a new direction with line method

Shakuntala has adopted the line method for paddy cultivation in one acre of area. This method is facilitating better crop management in the field, proper spacing of plants, and systematic execution of agricultural tasks. She says that new agricultural methods and technical guidance have provided an opportunity to make farming more profitable.

Producer groups becoming a medium of income generation

In Ambikapur development block, 5,540 families are connected to 505 self-help groups from 19 Gram Panchayats of 25 villages under Bihan. Self-help groups are not limited to savings and loans but are also being connected to income-generating activities. To promote agriculture and allied activities, 16 producer groups have been formed, with about 300 members actively involved.

In this sequence, 22 producer groups did business of paddy seeds through FPC. These groups arranged for the purchase, storage, and sale of paddy seeds according to the demand of the farmers. This provided quality seeds to the farmers at a reasonable rate, while the women's groups got the opportunity to engage in agri-based business and connect directly with the market.

Confidence increasing with technical guidance

Through Krishi Sakhi and Pashu Sakhi, women are being provided information about modern and better agricultural practices. Shakuntala Rajwade is also benefiting from this guidance to organize her farming. She says that after joining Bihan, new livelihood opportunities have opened up for her. Earlier, she was confined to her home, but after joining the group, her confidence in actively participating in agricultural activities and making her own decisions has increased.

Steps towards becoming a 'Lakhpati Didi'

By joining Bihan, Shakuntala Rajwade has not only strengthened her agricultural activities but has also moved towards economic self-reliance. She is associated with the 'Lakhpati Didi' campaign and considers this achievement a matter of pride for herself. She is now inspiring other rural women to join self-help groups and adopt agriculture and other livelihood activities.

Shakuntala Rajwade expressed her gratitude to Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Shri Vishnu Deo Sai for this initiative to make women economically empowered. She said that Bihan has provided rural women the opportunity to become self-reliant and create their own identity in society by connecting them with economic activities.

In the state, the effort to connect self-help groups with agriculture, animal husbandry, small enterprises, and other income-generating activities through Bihan is strengthening the rural economy. Women like Shakuntala Rajwade are becoming catalysts for this change, making the path to self-reliance easier for other rural women.