Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah on Saturday launched a series of initiatives aimed at strengthening women’s participation in the cooperative sector during a programme in Kollam, Kerala.
The initiatives were unveiled at an NCCF conference held at Kundara as part of the International Year of Women Farmers observance. Under the programme, Vanitham SHE-Mart shops were launched to provide women-led enterprises with better opportunities to market their products. The event focused on promoting women’s participation in cooperative businesses and encouraging women-led economic activities.
Shah also flagged off mobile vans that will sell onions from buffer stocks at a subsidised price of ₹35 per kg. The expansion of the Nandini Sahakar and Swayam Shakti Sahakar schemes was also announced during the programme. The initiatives are aimed at expanding cooperative opportunities and creating stronger market access for women and other beneficiaries. The SHE-Mart concept is designed to provide dedicated retail outlets for products made by women associated with Self-Help Groups and rural communities, helping them gain direct access to markets and strengthen their entrepreneurial activities.
