ROURKELA: In a bid to revive the slipper and noodle-manufacturing units by all women producer groups, Sundargarh district administration has decided to give these small-scale industries a second chance by eliminating previous shortcomings.
Earlier in August 2018, the district administration in association with Odisha Rural Development & Marketing Society (ORMAS), on an experimental basis, set up a slipper-manufacturing unit at Sahajbahal of Bargaon block. The women members of Om Sairam Producer Group (OSPG) were trained and entrusted with the responsibility of running slipper-making units towards contributing labour and sharing profit.
Livelihood support person (LSP), ORMAS, Padmalochan Naik informed that around 60 women were involved in slipper-making units and 25 in manufacturing but more than 200 pairs were damaged owing to use of manually-operated machines. Efforts were made to improve manufacturing quality and the slippers were sold at village markets and ORMAS fairs but the unit eventually collapsed after raw materials stopped coming from Kolkata because of Covid lockdown.
Naik further pointed that they lacked access to proper marketing, brand promotion, automatic machines and quality raw materials because of which the products couldn’t compete with the established ones. Similarly, a noodle-making unit was set up at Jamankira of Kuanrmunda block which was run by 35 women members of Sudha PG. After the products were sold at rural markets and ORMAS fairs, complaints of them being of inferior quality started pouring in.
OLM Kuanrmunda block product manager Prasanna Modi said, “the members of Sudha PG were not skilful enough. Also, we faced issues of proper marketing and branding. We will try to address the past errors and procure equipment including drier, microwave oven and automatic cutter.” This time they would obtain certification from Food Safety Standard Authority of India (FSSAI) to ensure quality products, he added.
ORMAS Senior Assistant Rudra Prasanna Barik said the slipper and noodle-making units would be revived and issues faced earlier would be addressed with new strategy to make them successful.