Gujarat BRANDS : AMUL, Lijjat Papad , Jasuben Pizza

Modi's 5 women entrepreneurial role models from Gujarat

Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi named many examples of women entrepreneurs who have made a mark on both state and national level. Addressing FICCI's women cell at a meet, Modi said that are known to be successful at entrepreneurship and must be encouraged. 

From Jasuben's Pizza to Lijjat Papad, here is a look at five entrepreneurial role models in Gujarat that Modi cited:

Jasuben Pizza

Jasuben Pizza captures a big market in Gujarat, Modi said. An educated individual in Gujarat will also prefer 'Jasuben ke Pizza over Pizza Hut," he added. 

Jasuben Pizza was started by the namesake in her early forties. While she originally made pizzas for her children, the idea took root once those around started appreciating them. Known for their 'Gujarati' taste, the vegetarian pizzas are quite famous in the state. 
Outlet image from Jasuben Pizza Ahmedabad Facebook account

Lijjat Papad

Another example of women entrepreneurship that Modi cited was 'Lijjat Papad'. 'Lijjat Papad' is a creation of a group of uneducated women. This is a model of entrepreneurship, he said. 

According to Lijjat's website, the organisation started work in 1959. A pioneer batch of 7 village ladies had set the ball rolling by making 4 packets of Papads. The faith and patience of the members were put to test on several occasion - they had no money and started on a borrowed sum of Rs. 80/-. 

Today, Shri Mahila Griha Udyog Lijjat Papad is a Women's organisation manufacturing various products from Papad, Appalam, Masala, Gehu Atta, Chapati, SASA Detergent Powder, SASA Detergent Cake (Tikia), SASA Liquid Detergent. Membership has also expanded from an initial number of 7 sisters from one building to over 43,000 sisters throughout India. 
Image: lijjat.com

Amul successful because of women

Citing the popular Amul's dairy development model, Narendra Modi said that that the global acclaim that the brand enjoys is in part due to the ground-level work that women do to make it a success. 

The Amul Model of dairy development is a three-tiered structure with the dairy cooperative societies at the village level federated under a milk union at the district level and a federation of member unions at the state level. 

The model has been known to empower thousands of village women, who benefit at the grass-root level by selling milk to Amul. Amul claims that its model helps women gain economic independence.

Seaweed cultivation

"Gujarat's pilot project, women enterprise along coastline - seaweed cultivation is hugely successful," Modi said. 

Small farmers living next to the sea shore can venture into this cultivation in a big way, not just to earn high-value-added incomes the produce can give, but also to improve nutrition. State's farmers can earn up to Rs 2,000 crore with this seaweed while its input cost is nothing. 

"We have trained a few farmers in cultivation of the seaweed on an experimental basis and found the results astounding," said an official, adding, "Dried seaweed can earn Rs 86,000 per year per raft, which is floated in the sea to cultivate the produce. A family can create 40 rafts in a year." 
In pic: Representative image of seaweed cultivation

Handicrafts

Modi said that handicrafts are a business driven mainly by women. "An increase in tourism will lead to an increase in demand for handicrafts, tourism a $3 trillion business," he said. 

Gujarat boasts of a wide variety of famous handicraft products. From needlework, Tie and dye (Bandhani), beadwork to pottery, women actively indulge in selling many forms of hand-made artistic products.

Source : http://economictimes.indiatimes.com