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Chrysanthemum Show in Chandigarh:Women self-help groups earn ₹2L from diverse products
Amid the ongoing financial crisis, the Chandigarh MC managed to organise the festival with zero budget as it has reclaimed the incurred expenditure of ₹3.5 lakh by auctioning the food court in the festival at ₹3.35 lakh
Women self-help groups under the municipal corporation (MC) showcased their entrepreneurial spirit during the three-day annual Chrysanthemum Show at the Terraced Garden in Sector 33, earning a remarkable ₹2.38 lakh. The event, which concluded on Sunday, featured a wide array of stalls set up by these groups, offering various self-made products, including perfumes, jewellery, pickles, clothes, bags, henna, incense sticks and more.
The initiative is a part of the broader effort under the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana-National Urban Livelihoods Mission of the Union ministry of housing and urban affairs. With over 5,000 women registered in 550 self-help groups across the city, the programme aims to empower them through economic independence, skill development, and promotion of eco-friendly products. The goal is to make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable on the lines of United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 11.
Municipal commissioner Amit Kumar said, “We aim to create an environment that helps women succeed economically, prevents gender-based violence, provides skill training, and ensures leadership and participation in all areas of life. The MC provides space for women to set up stalls and sell their products at its events.”
“Among the standout performers at the show were the Wool Group, which earned ₹63,000, followed by Mamta Dhoop Sticks with ₹45,000, and the Vendor Group, which earned ₹22,500. Other notable earnings included navlakshmi jewellery items with ₹25,000 and handcrafts with ₹19,600,” Kumar added.
Kumar said these self-help groups are also known for producing other products throughout the year. During Diwali, they craft decorative items like diyas. For Holi, they create colours using dried flowers sourced from temple waste. In addition, they offer gift items for various festivals and provide tiffin services across the city, further demonstrating their versatility and commitment to promoting sustainable and eco-friendly alternatives.
Amid the ongoing financial crisis, the MC managed to organise the festival with zero budget as it has reclaimed the incurred expenditure of ₹3.5 lakh by auctioning the food court in the festival at ₹3.35 lakh.
In September this year, the finance panel of the civic body had approved a total of ₹25 lakh for the three-day event, but amid its fiscal mess, the budget saw a drastic cut to ₹3.5 lakh only.
“Our idea of auctioning food court remained a hit as we managed to host the show with zero budget and save ₹35 lakh that used to be the expenditure in past years. We will explore such ways to host the upcoming Rose Festival and other cultural events at a limited budget,” Kumar said.
