The Kadoor panchayat in Udupi district has opted to focus on several other elements of development, particularly women's empowerment, as a result of a significant decrease in Covid-19 cases.
In order to make the village self-sufficient, the panchayat has started the “Our village, our products, and our market” campaign.
Mahesh K, Panchayat Development Officer, described the campaign in detail, “Initially, we launched a survey in the panchayat to identify women who have been making traditional products, but not marketing them. We hoped to popularise such products and create a market in the village. In the first phase, we have identified nearly 30 women, including those from tribal families who are into making traditional products like baskets, brooms, pickles, cotton wicks (bathi), products from jackfruit seeds and other items. During the survey, we realised that there is a huge demand for the traditional recipes prepared for women during pregnancy and motherhood, not only locally, but also outside. However, our focus for the time being is to ensure that these products get sufficient buyers in the village, for which a WhatsApp group has been created, and a list of vendors has also been shared. Individual customers can also contact these women directly”.
The money will be exchanged directly between the seller or consumer and the ladies selling the goods. The panchayat will only provide a forum for women. The panchayat also collects dry garbage from residents three times a week as part of its solid and liquid resource management. He underlines, “we have decided to use this vehicle to collect the products from the women, and deliver them to the buyers in the village during the remaining three days”.
Based on the response, the panchayat is contemplating developing a website for the items.
The Kadoor gramme panchayat, which includes the villages of Kadoor and Nadoor, has a population of around 5,000 people. The Mgnrega has around 1,061 families and almost 583 persons registered. In the case of Covid immunisation, the first dosage has been given to 100% of the population.
