Govt ropes in SHGs to makemasks, sanitizers, PPE kits

Lucknow: The steep surge in Covid-19 cases in the state has stirred the UP government to rope in self-help groups (

SHGs

), essentially run by women, for mass production of face masks, sanitizers and personal protection equipment (PPE) kits.

According to the data of the rural development department, as many as 20,416 members of SHGs spanning across 75 districts of the state have managed to manufacture 1.23 crore face masks since April 1 when the Covid cases started to rise alarmingly. Data show that the maximum number of 8.67 lakh masks were manufactured by SHGs in Lucknow, followed by 6.8 lakh in Ambedkarnagar and 5.6 lakh in Rampur.

Likewise, more than 14,000 litres of sanitizer has been manufactured by SHGs, mainly in districts like Muzzaffarnagar, Aligarh, Banda, Deoria, Barabanki, Basti, Etawah, Firozabad, Ghaziabad, Jalaun, Jhansi, Lucknow and Mainpuri. The SHGs have also managed to manufacture as many as 50,714 PPE kits within a fortnight, officials in the rural development department said. Data show that the SHGs have roped in production of hand wash. In the last fortnight, around 1,380 litres of hand wash has been manufactured by 251 members of the SHGs.

Mission director, UP state rural livelihood mission (UPSRLM), Sujit Kumar said that the department pitched in soon after the number of corona cases began to rise. “We will be engaging maximum possible SHGs to manufacture face masks, sanitizers and PPE kits to meet the requirement in the prevailing crisis,” he said, adding that the products made by the SHGs would be made available at relatively cheaper rates.

SHGs, in fact, this time appear heading to perform better than during the first wave. Data show that in April and May last year, the SHGs manufactured 62 lakh face masks, 36,300 PPE kits and 9,634 litres of sanitizers for being supplied in the local market. This was also the time when scores of migrants had returned to the state after the Centre imposed Corona induced lockdown. Officials said that many of the migrants were adjusted in the SHGs which were engaged in different works, including manufacture of school uniforms.

Rural development department said that the engagement of SHGs will not only help the state government in tide over the prevailing Covid crisis but will also help in generating employment opportunities.


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