Agra, UTTAR PRADESH :
Agra:
About 374 weavers, mainly Muslims and Dalits, engaged in manufacturing rugs in five villages of Fatehpur Sikri, have decided to float a company so that they can get rid of middlemen, who take away a lion’s share of their profits, and sell their products to the customers directly.
On an average, these weavers are paid a meagre wage of Rs 50 for a rug, which is sold for anything from Rs 500 to Rs 1,000 in the local market. The rug’s price, however, goes up substantially when it is shipped to other cities or foreign countries.
To start with, these weavers have pooled in Rs 50, 000 to get their company (Nayi Roshni Dari Utpadan Producer Company Ltd) registered, apart from collecting an additional amount of Rs 5 lakh as corpus fund. With 130 women members, the group, hailing from villages like May Bujurg, Nagla Jannu, Nagla Beech and Gujarpura, hopes to turn its initiative into success.
Anek Singh, one of the 15 directors of the proposed company, told TOI, “Despite all the hard work, a worker earns only Rs 2,500 per month after weaving around five meters of rug every day.” Anek, who could not complete schooling due to financial pressure, admitted that marketing and procurement of raw material would be a challenge for their company. “Till now, we had been weaving for others, but starting a company will be a different ball game,” he said.
These workers have taken up the initiative after getting assistance from NGO Nav Chetna Siksha Gram Vikas Samiti. With help from the NGO and the government, Anek and many others believe that they will be able to succeed. “Weaving is in our blood. For the better future of our children, we have decided to take the plunge. While we keep struggling, the middlemen and big businessman make huge profits,” Anek said
Another weaver, Shyam said the government officials have assured them that they will be helped in marketing. “It is a great opportunity. Apart from other avenues, we will be able showcase our talent at the annual international trade fair in Delhi,” he said.
Dr Puneet Kumar, district development manager, Nation Bank for Agriculture and Rural development (NABARD), said with the returns on rug weaving being poor, many workers have shifted to other professions. “NABARD would certainly help this group,” he said.
Sanjay Yadav, senior branch manager, National Small Industries Corporation Limited (NSICL), Agra, said these weavers would get a subsidy of 95% on their stall at the international trade fair.
As per a rough estimate, there are 20,000 weavers in Fatehpur Sikri and rugs worth over Rs 200 crore are exported from here every year.
source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News Home> City> Agra / by Anuja Jaiswal / TNN / August 09th, 2016