Kanpur, Aug 7 — A group of women workers, trained as Tricolour weavers, are proving to be key drivers of the ‘Har Ghar Tiranga’ campaign in Kanpur Dehat region and the surrounding areas.
A total of 360 women from 96 self-help groups (SHGs), associated with the National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM), are working day and night to produce an estimated 3 lakh Tricolours ahead of the Independence Day celebrations.
Their hard work and endeavour have proven to be a key driver of the campaign this time. In addition, this has brought employment to scores of poor, widowed, differently-abled and less-educated women in these villages.
These women are crafting national flags, each measuring 30 inches in length and 20 inches in width. The price has been capped at Rs 20 per flag.
According to officials, the Tricolours woven by them will be displayed at schools, government offices and all government buildings across the district. According to NRLM staff, the district was assigned a target of producing three lakh flags.
Pratima Singh, President of the Umang Self-Help Group, shared with IANS the objective of the momentous exercise. She said the department’s key objective is to provide employment to as many women as possible and empower them financially.
“Women once confined to the four walls of their homes are now coming out in large numbers and carving out their own identity through their skills. By joining self-help groups, they are earning a good monthly income while also fulfilling their family responsibilities,” she explained.
Many women workers said the initiative by UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath provided them with dignified work, fixed income and also boosted their self-confidence.
These women from SHGs demonstrated their craftsmanship last year as well, when they created a 200-meter-long Tricolour.
Officials noted that a profit of about Rs 6 per flag was realised from the flags made last year. The SHGs bear the production cost, and the profits generated go directly to them.
Ashok Kumar, Deputy Commissioner of the NRLM, stated that through the ‘Har Ghar Tiranga’ initiative, the women of Kanpur Dehat are not merely making flags; they are also scripting a new story of self-reliance, dignity and empowerment.