Boost to rural entrepreneurship: 78 women entrepreneurs receive QR codes

Jamshedpur: Rural entrepreneurship received a significant boost as Deputy Commissioner  Karn Satyarthi distributed digital QR codes to 78 women members of the Farmer Producer Organization (FPO) in Gohla Panchayat, Musabani block. The initiative, aimed at empowering women and strengthening local enterprise systems, marks an important step toward digital and economic self-reliance in rural areas. The FPO consists of 300 women members, and the first phase of QR code distribution was completed on Monday.

The introduction of QR codes is expected to simplify the local marketing system by enabling women entrepreneurs to digitally sell their produce, directly connect with consumers, reduce middlemen, and secure better prices for their products. This move aligns with the district administration’s broader strategy to integrate rural women with modern technology and market-linked opportunities.

The FPO in Gohla Panchayat is engaged in large-scale commercial farming across 300 acres, producing cabbage, bell peppers, beans, carrots, radishes, peas, pigeon peas, green gram, and various seasonal crops. Women farmers are leading the management of cultivation, processing, and marketing operations, playing a critical role in strengthening the rural agricultural economy.

Addressing the program at Gohla Panchayat Bhawan, the Deputy Commissioner appreciated the achievements of the women entrepreneurs and directed officials to take immediate steps for establishing a pulse mill in the FPO operational area. He stated that a pulse mill will significantly increase pulse production and create new employment opportunities for local women in processing, packaging, and marketing.

The Deputy Commissioner also discussed the transfer of a 30-metric-ton cold storage facility to the village organization, ensuring that farmers receive better storage services, reduced post-harvest loss, and increased income through improved handling of vegetables and other produce.

The district administration outlined strategies to provide training for women entrepreneurs in areas such as digital payments, e-marketing, product branding and packaging, value addition, financial literacy, and enterprise management. Officials emphasized that empowered and skilled women are central to the rural economy’s progress.

The Deputy Commissioner  said that the district administration is committed to strengthening self-help groups and FPOs through technical support, resource access, and marketing linkages. He noted that the agriculture-driven development model emerging in Gohla Panchayat will enhance economic resilience, promote self-reliance among rural women, and provide strong direction to local entrepreneurship.

He expressed confidence that initiatives like digital access, processing infrastructure, and storage facilities will transform the livelihood landscape and set an example for rural development across the region.