This story is from February 24, 2020

Purnia women icon of ‘new India’: PM Narendra Modi

It was a proud moment for the women’s self-help group (SHG) in Purnia district of the state as PM Narendra Modi on Sunday hailed their skills and efforts of producing silk saris for the high-end market.
Purnia women icon of ‘new India’: PM Narendra Modi
PM Narendra Modi
PATNA: It was a proud moment for the women’s self-help group (SHG) in Purnia district of the state as PM Narendra Modi on Sunday hailed their skills and efforts of producing silk saris for the high-end market. Defying the past, they are weaving saris with yarn produced from cocoons of silk worms grown on mulberry trees that they cultivated with eyes set on making high income.
The PM, in his 62nd edition of Mann Ki Baat delivered on Sunday, described their venture as an example of “new India” that has been unfolding in the country, when skilled women have been coming forward for not only their empowerment, but also for highly imaginative economic activities.
The PM described it as “kamaal” (very exceptional). Women members of the SHGs formed under the rural livelihood project under implementation in the state are called ‘didis’ (sisters).
“The ‘didis’ of Adarsh Jeevika Mahila Mulberry Production Group (in Purnia) have achieved something that can be called ‘kamaal’. Its impact is being felt in other villages, too,” Modi said, adding: “Several farmers and ‘didis’ are now not only getting silk saris woven, but are selling them from stalls in big fairs.”
PM Modi also recounted his experience at Delhi Hunar Haat last week, where he went around the stalls from various states, but the stall of the Adarsh Jeevika Mahila Group from Purnia and the “exceptional” story of its women members drew his attention.
At Delhi Hoonar Haat, he also relished Bihar’s famed ‘litti-chokha’ delicacy that has also begun to get popular even with the high-end restaurants, including in Mumbai. However, he selected the SHG from Purnia for the special mention, a district that he had also visited during the 2016 floods.
“This is the same region that has faced the calamity of flood for centuries. In such a situation, mustering resources for income by way of farming and other avenues has been a very difficult proposition. But, some women from Purnia charted out a different path,” the PM said.

He noted that they formed an SHG, started cultivating mulberry trees, grew silk worms on them, prepared silk yarn from their cocoons, and finally started weaving silk saris for the high-end market. “Earlier, women from this locality used to grow silk worms on their mulberry trees from cocoons for which they used to get a very nominal price, when purchasers of the same cocoons used to earn very high profits by making silk yarn from them,” the PM said.
“But today, women of Purnia have made a new beginning and have changed the picture completely. You will be surprised to know that the same women … are now getting thousands of rupees on the ‘saris’ that they weave,” he said.
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