Somari transfigured her family’s future by installing a small rice mill

Jagdalpur: Somari Maurya, a resident of Taragaon under the Bastar block of the Jagdalpur district, has positively impacted her family’s financial situation by establishing a mini rice mill in the village with the assistance of the National Rural Livelihood Mission. She attributes her success to her participation in the Bihaan Yojana, where group meetings, discussions, and mutual savings taught her about livelihood activities. By learning about the benefits of timely loan repayment, she was able to contribute to her family’s needs. Inspired by this, Somari decided to install a mini rice mill in the village with the help of bank linkage and is now providing the convenience of paddy milling to the locals.

Somari decided to start her own business after the group’s bank linkage was completed. She shared her ideas and received helpful advice during cluster meetings of the self-help group. The discussion focused on shops and economic activities in the village, and she received support to set up a mini rice mill to meet the needs of the villagers and neighbouring communities. When she shared her idea with her family, they agreed to support her. Somari received a Rs. 50,000 loan from the bank linkage and attended a 3-day business training to prepare for her new venture. Somari then established a mini rice mill at her home to process the paddy of farmers and villagers. This has provided the locals with the convenience of paddy milling at a local level, along with benefiting those from nearby villages. Somari earns 8,000–10,000 rupees every month from this venture and also focuses on the education of her two sons and a daughter. Additionally, she supports her husband’s agricultural work. Somari expressed gratitude to the state government for launching these schemes, which have contributed to her family’s prosperity.