Gaurela Pendra Marwahi, October 15, 2025/ In line with Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s resolve of self-reliant India, women of self-help groups are contributing. On the occasion of the Diwali festival, they are becoming prosperous by creating artistic lamps and puja materials and selling them in local markets. With the cooperation of the district administration and the rural livelihood mission, 12 women from five self-help groups of Pendra Janpad have prepared 70,000 earthen lamps so far. Along with this, they are preparing incense sticks, wicks, and torans and selling them in local markets – Kotmi, Navagaon, and Kodgar Haat Bazaar. The lamps made by the group have also been displayed and are being sold at the Saras Mela organized in Raipur. The group has so far sold lamps and puja materials worth Rs 1,11,500. Group member, Mrs. Kranti Puri, a resident of Jhabar village, said that she has earned a profit of about Rs 9,000 from this work. She said that this year’s Diwali has become very special for her, and she is very happy with this income. Block Mission Manager Ms. Mandakini Kosariya informed that five self-help groups’ families are directly benefiting economically from this work. This is not only making women self-reliant but also enabling them to improve their family’s financial condition. This initiative is not only creating employment at the local level but also promoting the use of traditional lamps. While the sale of earthen lamps has increased the income of women, it is also an environmentally friendly option.
