In a celebration of women empowerment and entrepreneurial spirit, Pune Municipal Corporation’s (PMC) Self-Help Group (SHG) Diwali Exhibition provided a platform for more than 700 women from various SHGs in Pune. Sponsored by PMC’s Social Welfare Department, the event showcased and facilitated the sale of goods crafted by these talented women.
The exhibition, held from November 3 to 8, between 10:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m., was hosted at multiple locations across Pune city:
- PL Deshpande Udyan, Sinhagad Road
- Opposite Telephone Exchange, Baner
- New Vegetable Market, Vadgaon Sheri
- Near Cummins College, Karve Nagar
- Katraj Milk Dairy, Katraj
- Chhatrapati Sambhaji Raje Udyan, Shivaji Nagar
A total of 678 women’s self-help groups participated in the savings bazaar organized at these locations. The exhibition featured 582 stalls showcasing various goods and 96 stalls offering delicious food items. Among these, 589 stalls were dedicated to self-help groups affiliated with the Pune Municipal Corporation, while an additional 89 stalls represented social organizations, disabled groups, Zilla Parishad, and individual business ventures.
Nitin Udas, Deputy Commissioner of PMC Social Welfare Department, shared in a press release that the exhibition aimed to encourage and support the self-help groups, providing them with an opportunity to showcase and sell their products in the market.
The response from citizens was overwhelming, contributing to a financial turnover of more than Rs 40 lakh for the participating self-help groups. The exhibition not only provided a marketplace for these women entrepreneurs but also garnered praise from the public for PMC’s initiative in promoting and supporting local talent.
Citizens lauded the Municipal Corporation for its commendable effort to provide a better market for women in self-help groups, expressing the sentiment that such programs should be organized periodically to uplift and empower these talented individuals.
