UP's Mirzapur Woman Turns ₹70,000 Investment Into Namkeen Business, Now Earns Up To ₹15,000 Monthly

Lucknow, October 14: Under the leadership of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Uttar Pradesh is placing special emphasis on empowering women to become self-reliant and expanding livelihood opportunities in rural areas. By joining self-help groups, women are turning their skills into businesses.

Women from disadvantaged and deprived sections of society are receiving particular opportunities to move forward. Seema Devi, a resident of Padaria Kalan village in Patehra block of Mirzapur, has emerged as an inspiring example of this transformation.

Thirty-two-year-old Seema Devi was once confined to household responsibilities. Her husband worked at a motor parts shop in Delhi. With the family having a limited income, Seema Devi also wanted to contribute financially. She had a keen interest in cooking but lacked the opportunity to turn her skill into an enterprise.

Meanwhile, after participating in a focus group discussion (FGD) organised in the village, she learned about entrepreneurship, financial assistance, marketing and various livelihood opportunities. Her association with the Maa Lakshmi Self-Help Group boosted her confidence. She subsequently decided to start a namkeen manufacturing business.

Seema Devi began manufacturing namkeen with financial assistance of Rs 50,000 from the Cluster Level Federation (CLF) and her own contribution of Rs 20,000. Working alongside women associated with the village organisation, she established a collective enterprise named ‘Vindhya Namkeen Manufacturing’.

Seema Devi plays a leadership role in the enterprise, taking responsibility for its operations and coordination, while other women contribute to the production of namkeen. The women are paid incentives based on their work. This initiative has created employment opportunities for a large number of women in the village.

Since starting the namkeen manufacturing business, Seema Devi's monthly income has risen to approximately Rs 12,000 to Rs 15,000. With her annual income reaching around Rs 1.5 lakh, the family's financial condition has improved. With marketing support in Mirzapur and neighbouring markets, ‘Vindhya Namkeen’ has established a local identity.

Seema Devi's success exemplifies the economic empowerment of rural women through collective effort. Once dependent on her husband for the family's income, she now runs her own enterprise and plays an active role in family decision-making.

Seema Devi is now planning to expand production capacity, purchase additional machines, introduce new varieties of namkeen and bring more women into the group.

She aims to establish ‘Vindhya Namkeen’ as a recognised brand so that more women in the village can access sustainable livelihood opportunities.

Amid efforts under Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's leadership to promote women's empowerment and rural livelihoods, women like Seema Devi are creating new opportunities through their skills and hard work. Self-help groups, financial assistance and marketing support have paved the way for her entrepreneurial journey.

Published on: Wednesday, October 14, 2026, 07:52 PM IST