Women entrepreneurs showcase biodegradable innovations at DRDA workshop

A woman entrepreneur shows a decorative article made of jute to NTR District Collector G. Lakshmisha at the ‘One Family-One Entrepreneur,’ workshop arranged in Vijayawada on Friday.
| Photo Credit: RAO GN

“I produce biodegradable products and am making efforts to avoid plastic,” said Ch. Jithendria, who runs Akruthi Bio Green company. Ms. Jithendra has trained many women to create biodegradable plates, spoons, glasses, bags, decorative items, wallets, packing material and other products. She urges women to join her in her efforts to prevent environment and water pollution.

D. Vijaya Durga, another woman entrepreneur, who runs Sree Sahasra Industries, highlights the potential of using sugarcane waster and paper pulp. She said: “One can make jute bags, plates, drinking water glasses and many other items.”

The ‘One Family-One Entrepreneur’ workshop organised by the District Rural Development Agency (DRDA) on Friday, saw many women entrepreneurs from the two Telugu states — Andhra Pradesh and Telangana participate. The women showcased juts bags, wall curtains, pen stands, spoons, saucers, cups and various items made of biodegradable waste.

Millet-based snacks were on display at the workshop. Keerthana, from 9 Nutz said: “There is a high demand for millet-based foods such as sweets, snacks, chocolates, chikkies, flours, cookies, chips and other food items. We prepare millet laddu, raagi laddu, and dry fruit chocolates.”

Collector G. Lakshmisha, along with DRDA Project Director A.N.U. Nanchara Rao and Project Officer Venkata Narayana, interacted with the women entrepreneurs, inspected the eco-friendly products and tasted the millet-based foods. The Collector praised the women for imparting training to many women groups and assured them support from the government in the form of loans, training and providing market linkages for their products.

In NTR district, there are about 4.5 lakh Self Help Group (SHG), the Collector asked the women groups to set up self-employment projects.