Date:04/03/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/03/04/stories/2006030410731700.htm

Business

16 Nutrimix units provided bank linkage

Staff Reporter

Plan to establish 500 small units to produce the baby food

500 units to employ 2,500 women
CPCRI provides know-how
New training centres opened

To tap market in anganwadis

KOCHI: Sixteen new Nutrimix-making units have been provided bank linkage under the Kudumbasree programme.

With this, the number of operational Nutrimix units goes up to 21. Three units are operational in Kasaragod and two in Kozhikode, said a Kudumbasree official.

This comes at a time when Kudumbasree has sanctioned 12 Nutrimix projects in three districts. The poverty eradication mission is pushing ahead with its plan to establish 500 small units to produce and sell the nutritious food mix for babies, developed by the Central Plantation Crops Research Institute, Kasaragod.

The mission has also opened training centres at Thazhava in Kollam and in Alappuzha. The Thazhava unit will be assisted by the Kayamkulam unit of the institute, said an official. The centres meet the requirements for training in the southern region of the State, as the existing two centres are in Kasaragod and Kozhikode.

Eight of the sanctioned projects are in Alappuzha district and two each in Kollam and Malappuram. The mission has begun training select women in Ernakulam for extending the programme in the district. Thirty women from Muvattupuzha municipal area and 10 from Vengola panchayat limits have been trained. Ten women each will be selected and trained from 15 more panchayat areas, Kudumbasree sources said here.

An estimated 2,500 women in the State can find gainful employment through the programme, which targets the baby food market dominated by big brands.

A Kudumbasree official said the Nutrimix programme aimed at tapping the market provided by anganwadis and balawadis in the State. The Kudumbasree Mission has been assigned the task of producing half the nutritious food needed for anganwadis.

Although various established groups are selling Nutrimix under various names, the Kudumbasree brand is expected to replace them soon. The mission has begun liasing with anganwadis for marketing the product.

The pilot project was started in Bedadukka panchayat limits in Kasaragod by a group of women trained by the institute more than a year ago. Broadly, the Nutrimix project objective is to set up five-member groups, preferably under the ambitious 50,000 job generation project of the Kudumbasree. The group members will be trained by the institute. The initial programme is to set up 20 such units in each district.