Chumki Pradhan: A perfect example of determination towards economic stability

Mail News Service

Jamshedpur, Oct: Chumki Pradhan was a common homemaker just like others of her ilk but she was all the while suggesting to her husband to go in for vegetable farming but he ignored her on the grounds of it being too cumbersome. Chumki, a resident of Swargchhida village in Gudabandha Block said that just doing rice crops did not bring in enough for the family coffers.

Chumki Pradhan�s journey towards economic stability started in 2017 when in Swargchhida village a team of Jharkhand State Livelihood Promotion Society (JSLPS) was forming a women�s cooperative. Chumki had no concept of cooperative societies especially of women�s cooperatives. She got interested after learning about the purpose impressed her. She enrolled herself as a member of the group. She, as member of the Gulab Phool Ajivika Sakhi Mandal (name of the women�s cooperative group), took the benefits of the various government schemes and today she has definitely enhanced her family income so much so that her children are going to good schools. Her family is very happy by the rich returns through her determined efforts towards economic stability.

As an example, she narrated, �In 2018, a producers� group was formed wherein details were provided on the methods of vegetable farming, modern techniques of cultivation and the scope for income generation through vegetable yields. I sowed lady finger seeds on 30 decimals of land. I spaced out rows at a distance of two feet and each plant at a distance of one foot. I did the farming based on modern method. I had approximately 6,600 plants that yielded 2, 450 kilograms of lady fingers. I sold the yield at Rs 15 per kg which fetched me a net income of Rs 36, 750.�

Chumki said that the government arranges trainings for the women�s self help groups and provides loan facilities. She claimed, �Vegetable farming could be a viable alternate source of income for the family. Expert trainers guide the groups. One should listen attentively and put them to practice in farming.�