Thanks to the welfare initiatives of Gadchiroli Police, surrendered women Naxals in the district have turned entrepreneurs and have begun their own businesses. They are now manufacturing and selling a floor cleaner phenyl under the brand name of 'Clean 101'.
The local police said that as many as 11 former Maoists including 10 women and one man were trained in manufacturing phenyl, news agency PTI reported.
The initiative is the brainchild of Gadchiroli superintendent of police Ankit Goyal, who directed the police department to create a Self Help Group (SHG) called 'Navjeevan Utpadak Sangh' for the surrendered women Naxals.
'Sales of the Phenyl Has Been Encouraging'
Speaking to news agency PTI, Goyal said that they organised the surrendered women Naxals into a self help group and "trained them at the MGIRI in Wardha".
Sales of their first product 'Clean 101' phenyl, which was launched recently has been encouraging, he said, adding that the police department would be "hand-holding" the group for a few months.
The Gadchiroli police is helping the women market the product. The 'clean 101' phenyl, the police said, is of very good quality. Besides, it is priced much below the market price of similar brands, they said.
The SHG has already begun receiving orders from several government and non-government departments. The police said that Dr Panjabrao Deshmukh Krishi Vidyapeeth at Maharashtra's Akola has ordered 200 litres of the phenyl from the SHG.
(With inputs from PTI)
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