All-woman vegetable units on cards

PATNA: Life for women in Bihar has certainly undergone a sea change.

Bihar State Women's Development Corporation (BSWDC) is an inexhaustible source of blessings for women of this region and has been lending them a great helping hand in carrying forward their struggle for survival with dignity.

In one such move, BSWDC is all set to make a “big splash” into the emerging retail sector in the country, launching a clutch of pilot “Fresh Vegetable” outlets in Patna and Nalanda districts of the state.
Beginning with vegetables and fruits, these “Fresh” outlets, will be exclusively run by women. “It's an all-woman affair and no male member will manage the outlets,” said BSWDC project director Irina Sinha.

“The corporation is all set to open a huge air-conditioned fresh vegetable outlet in the state capital soon. Apart from this, women vegetable vendors in two districts, Patna and Nalanda, which will also be our collection centres, will be provided technical support to run their outlets,” said Sinha.

The rollout of “Vegetable Fresh”, termed as neighbourhood store here, will cover other districts of the state also. “It is a small step in our initiative towards women empowerment. This move will help create a circle of prosperity by bringing rural women into the mainstream and also provide them employment opportunities. Our venture will not affect the daily vegetable sellers or pushcart vendors,” said the official.

In fact, voluntary organisations have been asked to come up with proposals for providing technical support and identifying women who will not only sell vegetables but also take care of the entire management.

The last date for submitting the proposals by voluntary organizations is June 27, when BSWDC will chalk out the final strategy. Initially, these outlets will be owned by the state women development corporation, but soon a federation of women managing the stores will be formed, which will be given a legal status too and the management will be transferred to them.

It was in the year 2006 that the state government had planned to open Bihar Fresh Vegetable Outlets in Patna on the pattern of Reliance Fresh. But the idea was shelved then.