PM Modi's vision: Tribal women in Chhattisgarh find livelihood in toys

Following PM Modi's call, Chhattisgarh's Village Industries Dept is training PVTG women to make soft toys from waste fabric. This provides them with sewing machines and direct work orders, creating a new income source and fostering economic self-reliance.

PVTG women participate in training to make soft toys from waste fabric in Chhattisgarh (Photo/ANI)

Chhattisgarh’s Village Industries Department and Handloom Association are living up to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of developing as well as promoting indigenous toys and simultaneously playing a significant role in economically strengthening women from Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs).

“Following the call of the Prime Minister to develop indigenous toys, the Village Industries Department and Handloom Federation have tasked women from Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) with making soft toys out of waste clothes from the Handloom Association. Under our brand 'Kaushal', we are selling these products through both online and offline platforms,” said Gramodyog Secretary Rajesh Rana.

Scheme Implementation and Expansion

He further elaborated that we will provide them with raw material after the training of sewing and toy making. Thereafter, sewing machines will be installed at their home. Orders will be given to them directly after receiving orders from the market, resulting in their economic progress. In the first batch, as many as 30 women from PVTGs have been trained, and every month the training of 30 women will be carried out, said Rana, adding that it is going to become an additional source of income for them while working from home.

“Presently, the training has been started at two locations-Raipur and Jagdalpur. In the coming time, the training programme will start in Sarguja, Bilaspur and Raigarh," Rana said.

Empowerment through Skill Development

“We came here from Sukma district and participated in a 15-day-long training programme, wherein we learned about the operation of sewing machines, using the spinning wheel (Charkha) and making of soft toys,” said Markam Sangeeta, a beneficiary from Sukma. She further said that before participating in the training programme, we stayed at home and were unable to do much. After undergoing the training, we have learned a lot. Through the government’s initiative, we got the opportunity to learn how to operate a sewing machine and make soft toys, including birds, hair clips and many other products using waste fabric. Earlier, despite being educated, we used to do manual labour work in the village.

"There is no work in our village, and after participating in the training, we have learned a lot of things," said Gayatri Kumari Korwa, a beneficiary from Korba district. In the training, "we have learnt about the methods of making soft toys like elephants, birds, fish, teddy bears, hair clips and others," she added. (ANI)

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