Raipur. Wednesday marked a day of renewed energy for rural livelihoods, women’s entrepreneurship, and financial inclusion in Chhattisgarh’s Dhamtari district. Union Rural Development Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan released the much-awaited unified state brand, “Chhattiskala,” and a digital finance booklet during the state-level distribution program for the 21st installment of the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) in the presence of Chief Minister Vishnu Dev Sai, Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sharma, other public representatives, and thousands of rural women.
Rural Women’s Products Get the State’s First Unified Brand, “Chhattiskala.”
The state government and the Chhattisgarh Rural Livelihood Mission (Bihar) have launched the “Chhattiskala” brand, aiming to provide a single identity and a unified market platform for quality products produced by rural poor women in the state. This brand currently plans to provide a comprehensive market for a variety of products, including millet-based food products, tea, pickles, snacks, handloom and handicrafts made from dhokra art, bamboo crafts, clay and wood products, incense sticks, and puja materials, along with standardization, packaging, and branding. Union Minister Chouhan stated that the Chhattisgarhkala brand will become a symbol of the hard work, skills, and self-reliance of rural women. This brand will take their products from the state to the national and international markets.
Digital Finance Booklet Released, Featuring the Success Stories of 48 BC Sakhis
At the event, Union Minister Chouhan also released a digital finance booklet documenting the inspiring success stories of 48 Banking Correspondent Sakhis (BC Sakhis) across the state.
3,775 BC Sakhis Actively Providing Banking Services
Currently, a total of 3,775 BC Sakhis in Chhattisgarh are actively providing door-to-door banking services and have processed financial transactions worth over ₹3,033.48 crore in the last four years. The Union Minister stated that women who once hesitated to leave their homes are now paving the way for social and economic change by providing financial services in every village.
Thousands of Self-Help Groups Receive Financial Empowerment
This grand event provided significant financial support to rural women’s groups. Under this initiative, 1,080 self-help groups received a revolving fund of ₹1.62 crore, 8,340 self-help groups received a community investment fund of ₹50.04 crore, and ₹229.74 crore in the form of bank linkages. Additionally, 1,533 women entrepreneurs received entrepreneurship loans worth ₹6.23 crore. These financial provisions will increase rural women’s income, establish new enterprises, and strengthen their economic independence.
Rural Prosperity, Women’s Leadership, and a New Direction for Self-Reliance
This event in Dhamtari was not only a distribution of financial assistance, but also a significant step towards realizing the vision of a “Self-Reliant Rural Chhattisgarh.” The “Chhattiskala” brand, the BC Sakhi model, and comprehensive financial support will together transform the nature and direction of rural livelihoods.
