Just like Indian Railways providing space and exposure to local products at each railway station under One Station, One Product scheme, airports in India too will provide a platform to Self-Help Groups (SHGs) to promote local artisans and products.
Following Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of encouraging talent and calibre of artisans, craftsmen and women by providing them ample and right opportunities, the Airport Authority of India (AAI) has launched an initiative to allocate space to SHGs at its airports for showcasing and selling products which are self-made and local and made in the region.
Hear from the lead of Self Help Group (SHG) 'Agnisiragugal'(Wings of Fire) reflecting on the huge opportunity provided by #AAI to promote and sell their self-made products at Chennai Airport under 'AVSAR' scheme, envisaged to support small communities. @AAI_Official @MoCA_GoI pic.twitter.com/5RS5ZEanKn
— Chennai (MAA) Airport (@aaichnairport) April 7, 2022
Called the AVSAR scheme or Airport as Venue for Skilled Artisans Of The Region, it provides an unique opportunity to help individuals and SHGs to become self-reliant and independent and earning entities.
An area varying from 100 to 200 square feet under AVSAR has been earmarked at each AAI operated airport which will be allotted to the SHGs, turn on turn basis, for a duration of 15 days. In fact, a few outlets have already been commissioned at Chennai, Agartala, Dehradun, Kushinagar, Udaipur and Amritsar airports where SHGs operated by local women. At these outlets the SHGs are selling and showcasing homemade local products including puffed rice, packaged papad, pickles, ladies bag, bottle, lamp sets etc made of bamboo, local artefacts, traditional craft, natural dyes, embroidery and indigenous weaves with contemporary design to air travellers.
Now more AAI-operated airports are in the process of allotting space in coordination with the State Governments in places like Ranchi, Kolkata, Varanasi, Indore, Bhopal, Vadodara, Ranchi, Belagavi, Madurai, Coimbatore, Calicut, Surat, Bhubaneswar, Raipur, Silchar, Dibrugarh and Jorhat.
SHGs are important channels for promoting and empowering small and rural communities to move from subsistence to sustainability as they are excellent producers, creators of local arts, craft, useful and quality products. These wares have high demand and these groups need opportunity and space to display and sell them.
Those SHGs who are interested in the project have to login on the AAI portal for allotment at the airport in that particular State where the SHGs are located. They have to apply on https://www.aai.aero/en/node/add/shg-user-detail
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