Eco-friendly bags can spur women empowerment

Rajendranagar: One may call it a campaign against single use plastic in the state, but the initiative has made inroads into the world of women empowerment this time. The curbs on plastic comes provide a plenty of opportunities to the women folk to work from home and earn a handsome income.

In the wake of the initiative against disposal plastic by the GHMC, many in the cottage industry believe the demand would flare up, thereby affording more employment opportunities for women.

This augurs well as Rajendranagar is considered a hot bed of plastic manufacturing units. Women are increasingly trying their hand at making paper bags and boxes that promise good returns.

This also empowers housewives as the work can be provided right at their doorsteps, without them having to leave daily chores in their households. Women are now making sweet boxes, saree boxes, plan boxes and trays for dry fruits, birthday and chocolate boxes, cash covers etc., to eke out a good living.

How do they get work?

A handmade paper making unit in Rajendranagar has come as godsend for these women, from where they are getting the work almost on regular basis.

Ravinder Rao, the proprietor of paper making unit at NIRD (National Institute of Rural Development), Rajendranagar, supplies the raw paper material to the women of nearby localities who are eager to undertake the work. With this, housewives who cannot afford to leave homes can earn income in the comfort of their homes.

"Women are now earning Rs 300 to Rs 600 per day depending on the work. For example, we are paying them Rs 5 for a box and the women are single handily able to make 60 to 120 boxes a day that fetch them close to Rs 300 to Rs 600 per day.

The plastic ban comes as godsend for them as the demand for substitute has seen a marginable increase in the market," said Ravinder Rao. He visits nearby colonies to distribute the raw plastic material and procure products after the work is done.