On your next visit to a book store, you may find notebooks with attractive cover page design and titled ‘Amaravati,’ ‘Godavari’, and ‘Konaseema.’
“What’s so special!” one may wonder.
They are special in that they are products of an industry established by women self-help groups of East Godavari district.
The thrift groups, inspired by the Central Government’s ‘Start-up India, Stand-up India’ initiative, launched a notebook manufacturing unit— Swashakthi Note Book Industry— which is first of its kind in the State.
Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu will formally inaugurate it through the Internet on Wednesday. He will also interact with the members through the video link.
The unit is located on the premises of the GMC Balayogi Training and Technology Development Centre (DRDA Training Centre) here.
The SHG federations —zilla samakhyas, mandal samakhyas, village organisations, and Sand Mining Mutually Aided Cooperative Societies— with profits/earnings from ‘Anna Deevena,’ paddy procurement centres, and sale of sand, mobilised the share capital.
The group, comprising 14 women and led by N. Durga Devi as managing partner, invested Rs. 94.72 lakh, besides obtaining a bank loan of Rs.1 crore.
Ms. Durga Devi has invested Rs. 20 lakh as representative from the zilla samakhya (district body of all SHGs). The other members who represent various groups have invested amounts ranging from Rs.1.99 lakh to Rs.10 lakh.
Working capital
Out of Rs.1.94 crore thus mobilised, they purchased machinery worth Rs. 89.42 lakh. The balance amount is kept as working capital.
District Collector H. Arun Kumar has extended all support in the establishment of the industry, and DRDA Project Director S. Mallibabu has been the guiding force, say the members.
“We are sourcing paper from A.P. Paper Mills, Rajamahendravaram. Till date, we have sourced 80 tonnes of paper. We are manufacturing about 40,000 to 50,000 172-page notebooks and 50,000 to 90,000 84-page notebooks every day,” says Jayakrishna Kakarala, general manager of the unit. Mr. Mallibabu says that all the SHG women in the district have been instructed to promote the sale of the notebooks, both white and ruled.
“The brand names will help sell the products like hot cakes. We are confident of reaching breakeven in one year,” says G. Varalakshmi, another partner.