AP MEPMA, GoMill Join Hands To Empower 500 Women With Millet Enterprises
AP MEPMA and GoMill have partnered to help 500 urban SHG women set up millet-based enterprises across Andhra Pradesh through kiosks, retail outlets and business support.
The Andhra Pradesh Mission for Elimination of Poverty in Municipal Areas (MEPMA) has partnered with Native Touch, the e-commerce and consumer brand of EBG Group, through its millet-focused brand GoMill, to create millet-based enterprises for 500 urban Self-Help Group (SHG) women across the state.
Under the partnership, GoMill will develop franchise-based millet food-service kiosks and retail outlets and provide SHG women with support in enterprise creation, product and menu development, branding, infrastructure planning, food safety and hygiene, business operations and market access.
AP MEPMA will facilitate bank linkages and access to eligible livelihood-promotion schemes and support implementation through district and Urban Local Body teams. Andhra Pradesh has been selected as the pilot state for the programme amid growing demand for millet-based products.
The initiative seeks to help urban SHG women overcome challenges in setting up viable businesses, including limited access to structured business models, branding, product development, market linkages and entrepreneurial training.
GoMill will provide product, branding, business-format and market-development expertise, while AP MEPMA will use its grassroots network across ULBs to identify and mobilise eligible women entrepreneurs.
EBG Group founder Dr Irfan Khan said entrepreneurship was among the most sustainable pathways to economic empowerment and GoMill aimed to combine healthier food choices with profitable enterprises for women.
He said the programme would target 500 SHG women, facilitate 100 millet outlets and generate direct and indirect employment for 1,500 people.
