Mysuru: NR Group, the agarbathi to aerospace conglomerate, hosted five honourable ministers from the cabinet of Maharashtra Government in Mysuru. Amongst the political leaders, Mr. Sudhir Mungantiwar, Minister of Finance and Planning, Forests, Mr. Pandhurang Phundkar, Minister of Agriculture and Horticulture, Mr. Pankaja Munde, Minister of Rural Development, Women & Child Development, Mr. Madan Yerawar, Minister of State for Food and Drugs, Tourism and GAD and Mr. Deepak Kesarkar, Minister of State for Home, were present.
The purpose of the visit was to understand the backend technicalities, employment model and agarbathi manufacturing process implemented by NR Group in Karnataka so that the same can be replicated at Gadchiroli region under the Gadchiroli Agarbatti Project. They also discussed the viable opportunities for expansion in the region.
The Cabinet Minister of Maharashtra government visited the city to observe the working pattern of Cycle Pure Agarbathies, the world’s largest manufacturers of agarbathi. They aimed to understand the innovations and advancements made in this sector along with technical know-how on agarbathi manufacturing front. They also spent considerable amount of time in understanding the cluster cabinet development model, implemented by the organisation, along with rural women empowerment initiatives taken by the organisation. They also monitored the managerial support extended by the organisation and the quality control process, placed by Cycle for keeping a check on the production.
Cycle Pure Agarbathies has encouraged micro-entrepreneurship and women empowerment in the larger section of rural areas. The organisation has provided job to around 55 thousand women at grass-root level. India’s largest agarbhathies makers, has adopted the conventional method of cottage industry where women are given out the opportunity to work; the model ensures financial independence of the women in rural areas and make them self-sufficient. The employment opportunity is provided during the primary stage of incense making process where women from their homes prepare dough for the incense stick.
The Gadchiroli Agarbatti Project (GAP), currently functioning at the Gadchiroli district of Maharashtra, has received constant support from Cycle Pure on various levels, since its inception in 2012. The organisation has been associated with the project that dedicatedly works for generating employment in the region and has currently become one of the main sources of income with almost 1200 beneficiaries under it. The organisation has supported the free flow of raw materials for non-stop manufacturing of agarbathies in the region. The group has also provided the people involved in this project with two-wheelers to move around the 44 units, spread across approximately 312 KM, keeping a check on the agarbathi rolling activity. Further, the agarbathies produced under the strict quality control measures in these units are purchased by Cycle Pure Agarbathies.
Speaking of the project, Mr. Arjun Ranga, Managing Director, Cycle Pure Agarbathies says, “We appreciate the efforts made by Government of Maharashtra in understanding the agarbathi manufacturing process. It was our pleasure to take them around our production units and show them the mechanism behind it. Our organisation has been closely associated with the Gadchiroli Agarbathie Project on various levels, since its inception. The project is the main source of livelihood in the region, ever since it rolled out. With little opportunities available otherwise, agarbathi manufacturing accounts for maximum employment with dependence of innumerable families on it. Being associated with this project for so long, we are eager to participate in its expansion now.”
He adds, “Our organization is proud to associate with this project. We are happy to contribute towards employment generation in Gadchiroli.”
The initiative is mainly designed to support the financial status of the people living in the region. The project aims at providing constant livelihood to tribal areas, prominently the tribes belonging to the Madiya, Ghor and Gondi community.
Cycle Pure has always extended their support to a variety of social causes very passionately. The leaders of the group have always humbly acknowledged the contribution of the society for their achievement and have strongly believed in giving back to society.
Comments are closed.