Sharmili Mallick

Balasore: Once unemployed and dependent on the modest salary of their husbands, the women of Basuli Self Help Group (SHG) at Kamaripur under village of Balasore district have now become self-sufficient by engaging themselves in flower farming.

At least 14 women of the village came together to start the SHG in 2008. Later, a villager Amulya Behera allowed the women to use his land for farming following which the women took loan from a bank and started flower cultivation on the land.

“We supply flowers to many places including Balasore, Bhadrak, Soro, Bahanaga, Gopalpur, Cuttack and Bhubaneswar. We cultivate the flowers on 12 decimals of land every year. There are 14 women members in the SHG. We also cultivate vegetables in the land and get a good profit,” said President of Basuli SHG, Parbati Behera.

Initially, the members of the SHG were supplying one quintal of flowers per month but the supply later increased to more than 10 quintal which is being supplied to various places across the State.

“We earn a profit of Rs 2000 per member from the business. We had initially taken loan from UCO bank and continued the business after paying the entire debt,” said a member of the SHG, Pratima Behera.

“This is my private place and I have given it to the SHG. I have also made water supply and other arrangements for farming on the land. However, if the government gives us financial assistance, it will be of great help,” said Behera.

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