Akka Cafe Initiative in Karnataka Aims to Turn Women Into Business Owners

The Karnataka government's Akka Cafe scheme is already a big hit. Now, they are taking a major step to help more women become financially independent and self-reliant. Want to join the Akka Cafe team? Here's everything you need to know.

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Akka Cafe

The Karnataka government started the Akka Cafe scheme to help women become self-reliant. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah announced it in his budget, and the cafes officially launched on March 8, 2024. The response has been great from day one! These cafes are run completely by women from Self-Help Groups, in partnership with the National Livelihood Mission (NLM).

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Akka Cafe Initiative

The main goal is to help women from Self-Help Groups (SHGs) become small business owners. The government plans to set up 2,500 'Akka Cafe' coffee kiosks. They have already called for tenders to build and set up these kiosks across the state. The project will roll out in phases. In the first phase, they will set up 50 modern cafes in both rural and urban areas. Eligible women can get a grant of up to Rs 15 lakh for infrastructure and setup.

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Akka Cafe

Six Akka Cafes are already up and running across the state. You can find two in Bengaluru (one in Gandhinagar and another in Devanahalli), two in Bidar, one in Karwar, and one in Mysuru. The women from the Self-Help Groups run these cafes from 9 in the morning to 9 at night.

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What Can You Get At Akka Cafe

So, what can you get at an Akka Cafe? Of course, there's coffee! The menu also features special regional dishes from different parts of Karnataka. You can also grab popular breakfast items like idli, vada, upma, and pulav, along with tea, all at very pocket-friendly prices.

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Karnataka's National Rural Livelihood Mission

The Coffee Board of India is teaming up with Karnataka's National Rural Livelihood Mission for a massive training program. They plan to train one lakh SHG women in making authentic filter coffee, cafe management, and business skills. To start, they will train about 400 women as 'master trainers' at the Coffee Board's head office in Bengaluru. These trainers will then provide hands-on training at the taluk and village levels.

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How You Can Start Your Own Akka Cafe

Here's how you can start your own Akka Cafe. Each Zilla Panchayat will announce when they are accepting applications. Interested members of Self-Help Groups can apply by submitting the required documents. Once you complete the training, you can start your cafe and begin your journey to self-reliance. The government has sanctioned Rs 25 crore for this scheme this year, so it's a great opportunity for women.