Squash from Mali village makes way to Parliament

Sanjiv Kumar Bakshi

Our Correspondent

Hoshiarpur, October 3

The Rose Squash manufactured by the Sandhya self-help group of Maili village in Mahilpur block of the district has made its way to Parliament as well as made its presence felt on global platforms.

Recently, a demand for 542 bottles was placed for Parliament. Not only this, the demand regarding Rose Squash is also pouring in from the USA, Canada, and Kuwait.

Hard work and sincere effort by the 14 women of the Sandhya self-help group have proved to be a symbol of women empowerment. Their great enterprise is a proof of the untiring efforts of these women who have made their presence felt at the international level too.

Vinod Kumari of Maili village, who played a leading role in the staring of the Sandhya self-help group, said the group had worked wonders for all women of the group, including herself, to be able to stand on their own. She added that the group also organises an exhibition of its products in various kisan melas with the assistance of the district administration which also accords every possible help in times of need. She said she had started the group in 2005 in Maili village itself with 13 women of the village and the group was engaged in the manufacturing of a variety of pickles, jelly, chutneys, squashes, honey, maize flour and pulses. She said initially, they manufactured only pickles, jellies, but Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, encouraged them to make squash and gulkand by growing indigenous rose and even provided training for the same. "We had started this venture with a small saving of Rs 10,000, but after getting an overwhelming response from consumers, we expanded activities with a loan of Rs 10 lakh in the year 2013. Then with the help and supervision of Dr RK Dubey, we had sown the indigenous variety of rose in 2014 in the village itself and reaped the harvest of rose flowers and prepared rose squash and 'Gulkand' from it. This venture proved so successful that demands were made for 542 bottles in Parliament in 2017," she said.

Deputy Commissioner Vipul Ujwal said these women were strengthening the economic condition of their families and also contributing a lot towards raising the living standard of people of the area. "Such entrepreneurial efforts are coming in handy to make agriculture a profitable venture which makes it all the more important for the youths interested in agriculture, besides women to come forward to adopt such modern practices. The government provides a special training for opening self-help groups apart from loans to start such businesses," said the DC.