Uttarakhand : Kedarnath Yatra was a gift, more than 100 women got employment, Kedarnath Prasad had a business of about 44 lakhs

Shri Kedarnath Dham Yatra, which returned on track after the Corona period, gave many gifts for the district this time. People directly associated with the yatra were waiting for a smooth yatra for two years, this year a record 15 lakh, more than 63 thousand yatris ended this wait by reaching Kedarnath Dham. This journey also proved to be pleasant for the women’s groups operating in the district, after the Corona period, this year the business of women’s groups got new heights. Various women’s groups associated with Kedarnath Yatra did business worth about 48 lakh rupees this year. By adopting the mantra of self-reliance and self-employment of Honorable Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the women of the affected district are directly contributing in the Kedarnath Yatra. Women in the district are becoming self-sufficient by selling other products along with preparing prasad made from local products for Baba Kedarnath Dham, operating restaurants, cafes on the Yatra route. District Magistrate Mayur Dixit said that the prasad made from local products and the souvenirs of Baba Kedarnath are being made available to the pilgrims coming from all over the world in Baba Kedarnath. Along with this, many products including local honey, herbal incense are being prepared and made available to the travelers. Apart from this, Saras Restaurant and Hilans Cafe are also operating on the Yatra route to provide local food items. Women belonging to about 20 women’s groups are taking strong steps towards self-reliance by contributing to the yatra. The administration is trying to connect women with self-employment through various schemes.
Women did business worth Rs 43.50 lakh by selling prasad in Kedarnath

Arjun Kurmanchali, a businessman who markets the Prasad prepared by the women of the district in Shri Kedarnath Dham, said that this journey started after the Corona period has proved to be very beneficial. He sold prasad worth about Rs 43 lakh to the pilgrims at various helipads and temple premises. Told that around 20 women self-help groups from across the district have ready access to chalai laddus, herbal incense, churma, belpatri, honey, jute and silk bags etc. Apart from this, containers for Ganga water and temple ashes are also part of the prasad package. The price of the entire package has been fixed at Rs 250, in addition to which royalty of Rs 50 is given to temple committees and heli companies. On the other hand, NRLM block coordinator Satish Saklani told that Devidhar Unnati cluster has done a business of about Rs 42 by selling prasad through online and offline medium during the entire journey.

Local products also got a boost with employment

President of Kedarnath Prasad Producer Federation, Laxman Singh Sajwan told that this year he has prepared and sold 50 quintals of chalai laddus and churma in Kedarnath. In the last six months, he has given employment to 60 women, out of which 30 women are regularly associated with him through groups formed under NRLM. During the entire journey, he sold laddus and churma worth about Rs 22 lakh. Apart from giving 300 rupees per day to the women associated with the group, they also give training from time to time. Sajwan said that before the introduction of the Prasad scheme in the year 2017, the production of challai had become very limited, whereas now its production has increased. Told that they buy chalai from farmers at the rate of Rs 55 per kg. Farmers have been asked to produce 100 quintals of chali for the next year. Apart from this, the farmers producing Belpatri are also getting direct benefit of the scheme.

Saras restaurant and marketing center got a new identity

During this yatra, the district administration started Saras restaurant and marketing center with the help of women groups formed through NRLM in Agastyamuni of Shri Kedarnath Yatra Marg. Poonam Devi, president of Mahadev Self Help Group, which is running Saras restaurant, expressed happiness and told that during her first visit she did a business of about Rs 4 lakh. 8 people have got regular employment through Saras restaurant. He said that for the next visit, strategies will be prepared by the group for better preparations from now on. On the other hand, Shivani, who is running the Saras Marketing Center, said that during the Shri Kedarnath Yatra, he did a business of about 80 thousand rupees by selling the local produce collected from the farmers of the district.