Khammam: ‘Stitching’ a path to financial independence

Khammam: Members of the district’s women Self-Help Groups (SHGs) are benefiting monetarily from their work of sewing government-issue school uniforms for the upcoming academic year.

Up to 1,220 SHG members in the district are involved in the process. Notably, there are 120 women working under 10 Kuttu Kendrams in urban areas and 1,100 women working under 78 Mahila Shakti Kuttu (stitching) Kendrams managed by Mandal Mahila Samakhyas in rural regions.

In urban regions, MEPMA identifies them and puts them to work; in rural areas, DRDA does the same.

The district’s residential schools, gurukuls for SC, ST, and BC, as well as minority schools, will receive the uniforms. In all, 2,48,837 pupils attend the district’s government schools; 1,15,990 of them are male and rest are female.

According to M Srinivas Rao, assistant project manager for SERP-DRDA, who spoke with The Hans India, “Uniforms cost Rs 75 apiece. The Kuttu Kendram has received assistance from the district administration in obtaining cutting, button, and buttonhole stitching machines.”

It may be mentioned here that SHG members Sridevi and Swaroopa earn between Rs 400 and Rs 600 a day at Jalagam Nagar Mahila Shakti Kuttu Kendram in Khammam Rural Mandal.

Meanwhile, the District Collector VP Gautham has instructed to have the uniforms ready by the time the schools reopen on June 12. He lauded the efforts of the SHG members in becoming financially independent through this endeavour.

Dr Priyanka Ala, the district collector for Kothagudem, reported that 1,26,677 meters of cloth was required to make uniforms for the district’s 63,399 pupils enrolled in government schools.

“So far, 10,510 meters of cloth is still pending delivery to the district as of May 20. In 23 of the district’s mandals, the cloth has been given to 93 Mahila Shakti Kuttu Kendrams,” she said.