Surrendered women Naxals in Maharashtra's Gadchiroli district have turned entrepreneurs by launching a floor cleaner phenyl thanks to the welfare initiatives of the local police.
According to the Gadchiroli Police, 11 former Maoists, including ten female and one male, were trained in manufacturing phenyl and they have started their own business now. This phenyl is sold under the brand name 'clean 101'.
A Self Help Group (SHG) called 'Navjeevan Utpadak Sangh' was started for surrendered women Naxals on the initiative taken by Gadchiroli superintendent of police Ankit Goyal.
The police said the 'clean 101' phenyl is of very good quality and priced much below the market rates for other brands.
Gadchiroli police department will help this SHG to market their product. Besides, the SHG has received orders from various government and non-government departments, police said.
Dr Panjabrao Deshmukh Krishi Vidyapeeth in Maharashtra's Akola has ordered 200 litres of 'clean 101' phenyl from the SHG, officials said.
"The surrendered Naxal women were organised into a Self Help Group and trained at the MGIRI in Wardha. Their first product 'CLEAN 101' floor cleaner was launched recently. We will do their hand-holding for the first few months. The initial sale orders are encouraging," Goyal told PTI.
He said 41 farmers from remote, Naxal-affected villages of Ettapalli, Hedri and Dhanora tehsils are sent for a free tour of agricultural universities and innovation centres across Maharashtra from November 19 to 28 under a special initiative aimed at boosting their income.
On November 13, 26 ultras, including senior cadre Milind Teltumbde, were killed in the Gadchiroli district in an encounter with C-60 commandos of police. The toll rose to 27 after the body of one more ultra was found at the spot in a forest.
