Women cooperatives ready cloth bags ahead of plastics ban

A source from the Social Welfare and Nutritious Meal Programme Department said that the societies are busy stitching four sets of uniforms for each beneficiary in schools from April to November and the women employed get paid Rs 10,000 per monthfor their services during this period.

After November, they are free till the next cycle begins in April. “We wanted to offer them an alternative to earn, which is closely related to the work they are already undertaking,” the source added. Around 94 such societies with over 83,000 women working in them have been functioning in the state.

The department said that it has received private orders in Chennai, where there are 14 functional units at present, and added that they are willing to scale up operations accordingly. “While Rural Development, Town Panchayat and other state government departments have been contacted to purchase the bags, we also encourage respective societies to bag their own orders,” added the source.

Priced at Rs 8 and Rs 20, each bag will fetch the member Rs 5. They are being stitched as shoulder bags to fit the capacity of 2 to 10 kgs in various patterns and fabrics. The bags have also been printed with information on various schemes like Poshan Abhiyan and Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao.

The source said that the true scale of this project that rolled out in November will be seen after the ban comes into effect.