Made-in-Chamarajanagar products to get online push

MYSURU: In an industry-first initiative, Bengaluru-based company eSamudaay and JSS Rural Incubation & Skill Development Centre (JSS RISDC) and Vision Karnataka Foundation will jointly launch a producers’ network in Chamarajanagar district.
As per plan, production hubs for food, clothing, arts and crafts and granite products will be produced in the district through training in self-employment and entrepreneurship-development programmes.These products will be taken to larger markets through various marketing modes, including digital interventions.
JSS RISDC, by working with communities in the district for the last two decades, has trained over 45,000 youths in different skills and self-employment opportunities. Under the new venture, it will incubate emerging businesses, while eSamudaay will provide the digital platform so that local producers, artisans and self-employed people can sell their products outside the district.
Shivashankar B, chief executive of JSS RISDC, said that the initiative will be in cooperative model. “We have been working in the district for the last two decades. We want to create a bigger platform for locally-made products,” he said, adding that they are planning to launch the initiative in February. “Even though the district has abundant raw materials, it hardly has big industries. Most of the products are sent out side for value addition. We want to change this,” he added.
Founder and CEO of eSamudaay Anup Pai said through the initiative, they will take the products from Chamarajanagar to other places. “The effort is to create a production hub for food, health and wellness, clothing, home decor, arts and crafts and the like,” he explained.
Ramakrishna, who had participated in an incubation programme with his wife Suma R, said that they are planning to use the opportunity to expand their food-processing business in Terakanambi. “Having trained by JSS RISDC, we are preparing items like masala powder to sell them to a bigger clientele,” he said.