|
TARA Support to Small
Businesses
Subroto Roy & Ambika
Sharma sroy@sdalt.ernet.in
The TARA Experience for Handcrafted Paper
Production
Starting in 1988 with a small unit of less
than a dozen workers, TARA has now become a major manufacturer of
handcrafted paper products. It had four basic objectives:
| l |
to
create new, local jobs - particularly for unskilled women |
 |
| l |
to
make paper products for local markets |
| l |
to
enhance value addition through integration of local designs |
| l |
to
open up new markets for eco products |
| |
|
|
The TARA
Training-cum-production centre has quickly demonstrated that it
is possible to achieve all these objectives by establishing an
effective interface with the market and users. Currently, the
prestigious customers of TARA products include: |
| l |
Educational institutions and universities (certificate, degrees) |
| l |
Corporations and industry units (conference material and office
stationery) |
| l |
Retailers (stationery, greeting cards, diaries, etc.) |
|
| l |
Individuals (Wedding cards, gifts) |
|
What is needed
to create Livelihoods?
A Training cum Production centre can be set up
| l |
with
a group of 20 to 25 women, |
| l
|
with
a minimum amount of capital and infrastructure. |
| l |
in
about 3000 sq. ft. of covered and/or semi covered space.
|
The equipment for
the Training-cum-Production Centre includes including paper cutting
machine, a die cutting machine, file master, simple riveting press
and a station for screen and / or block printing. A computer
facility with scanner is recommended as an optional extra.
The basic facilities require an initial
capital investment of Five Lakh rupees and an additional optional
investment of One Lakh rupees for computer facilities. The
Training-cum-Production Centre can act as an interface between the
SHG or Cooperatives and the clients. Moreover, it can facilitate
value addition through conversion of paper into paper products and
provide a good marketing interface with the external clients.
TARA Services
TARA provides a complete service package at
very competitive prices for NGOs, small organizations and rural self
help groups. These include:
|
l |
Project Design and development |
|
l |
Procurement and commissioning of equipment |
|
l |
Supply of raw material (paper), tools, etc. |
|
l |
On-site training in production, finishing and printing |
|
l |
Product Design |
|
l |
Assistance in market assessment of eco-products |
The Opportunity
Hand Made Paper Products crafted from recycled
handmade paper provide immense opportunities for livelihoods. This
process can be dovetailed with traditional skills, specially for
self-organizing women groups to achieve an end result that can be
the customer’s delight.
The market for such products has been
increasingly rapidly during the last couple of years. Starting from
the packaging industry to shopkeepers using carry bags, from the
drawing board of an artist to the office desk; hand made paper
product sales have crossed the level of Rs.100 crore worth of
business in India, with a huge export potential. Technology and
Action for Rural Advancement, (TARA) is the leading supplier of
handmade paper and customized machinery and services for setting up
Training cum Production facilities.
q
|
Case Study: Gujarat - Colours of Kutch |
 |
|
T wenty
five women of Kutch, Gujarat, joined hands to form a Self Help
Group. They were so keen to become self sufficient that they
underwent a training in 'Manufacture of Recycled Hand Made Paper
and Paper Products'. The Group is now well-versed with the
various aspects of HMP and are selling a broad spectrum of paper
products to corporate houses by tying up with FICCI and CCI and
establishing links with commercial agencies and export houses (
to procure international orders). |
| |
|
|
The Group markets a whole range of
exquisite and ethnic paper products under the brand name of
Colours of Kutch. The paper products range from office
stationery to gift items like greeting cards and bangle boxes.
TARA has facilitated this Group in terms
of training and setting up the enterprise with financial support
from CARE. Now, these determined women of Kutch are totally on
their own and are exploring new horizons to tap the unlimited
potential of customized hand made paper products.
After all, a little determination goes a
long way. And, a thousand mile journey commences but with a
single step.
q |
Information about various manufacturers is listed in
www.indiamart.com and
www.papermart.com
Back
to Contents
|