Custom-hiring centres equip rural women with tools, training & confidence

In five villages across Punjab, a quiet but powerful transformation is underway. Punjab Agricultural University (PAU), Ludhiana, in collaboration with the ICAR-Central Institute for Women in Agriculture (CIWA), Bhubaneswar, has launched custom-hiring centres (CHCs) that are equipping rural women with tools, training and confidence to lead their communities forward.

Set up in Boparai Kalan, Akalgarh, Halwara, Purain and Kullewal under the All-India Coordinated Research Project on Women in Agriculture (AICRP-WIA), these centres offer flour mills, solar dryers, maize shellers, sewing machines and much more —resources that were once out of reach for many.

“Earlier, we had to borrow machines or wait for someone to help. Now, we can work on our own terms,” said Baljit Kaur, a member of the Aajivika Self-Help Group in Halwara.

The initiative was inaugurated by Mridula Devi, Director of ICAR-CIWA, who emphasised that technical access was key to self-reliance. A memorandum of agreement was signed between the ICAR-CIWA, PAU’s AICRP-WIA Centre and five self-help groups to ensure women-led management of the centres. “This is not just about machines — it’s about dignity,” she said.

Satbir Singh Gosal, Vice-Chancellor of PAU, praised the project’s grassroots impact. “We’re bridging science with society,” he noted. Deepika Vig, coordinator from PAU’s College of Community Science, added, “These centres are building solidarity among women — empowerment begins with collective action.”

For many women, the centres have sparked a change. “We’ve started packaging dried vegetables and pulses using the sealing machine. It’s helping us earn and save,” shared Manpreet Kaur from Akalgarh. Ravinder Kaur, a young farmer from Purain, said, “I learned to operate the maize sheller myself. It’s faster, safer and I feel proud.”

The project team — Ritu Mittal, Renuka Aggarwal, Shivani Rana, Prerna Kapila and Prachi Bisht — worked closely with local panchayats to ensure smooth implementation.

Village leaders and farm women have also expressed deep gratitude. “The PAU chose our village, and now our daughters are learning the skills we never had,” said Kamlesh Devi, a senior self-help group member from Kullewal.

In these villages, empowerment isn’t just a word — it’s a daily practice. With tools in hand and solidarity in spirit, Punjab’s rural women are scripting a new chapter of resilience and leadership.