The Kalaburagi district administration has been instrumental in providing a good market for the skills of Kalaburagi women and helping them in value addition, Kharge said.
Credit: X/@PriyankKharge
Karnataka Minister for Rural Development and Panchayat Raj (RDPR) Priyank Kharge on Sunday expressed his gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who highlighted the success of the ‘Kalaburagi Rotti’ in his ‘Mann Ki Baat’ speech.
“The success story of the Kalaburagi Rotti is a testament to how well-directed government schemes can foster entrepreneurship, skill development, besides providing women access to the market. This is a shining example of the Congress government’s ‘Kaam ki Baat’,” Priyank wrote on ‘X’.
The RDPR Minister took the opportunity to turn the tables against BJP leaders who have accused him of turning the Kalyana Karnataka district into the ‘Republic of Kalaburagi’.
“The PM, no less, has countered this narrative by touching on the ‘Success stories of Kalaburagi’,” wrote Priyank, acknowledging the efforts of the Kalaburagi district administration for their efforts in creating a huge market for the local women.
The online marketplace developed specifically for marketing Kalaburagi Rotti, which has since become a distinctive brand, created a large consumer base for the product, said Priyank.
“As a result, Kalaburagi Rotti is empowering women, enabling them to become self-reliant,” said the RDPR Minister, delighted that the aroma of the Kalaburagi Rotti had wafted far enough to reach PM Modi.
‘Seed fund’
The government provided a seed fund to support branding efforts for the Kalaburagi Rotti, said Priyank, adding that the government also subsidised 150 rotti machines that were distributed to self-help groups and women entrepreneurs.
“This helped them scale up production. We also allocated Rs 6.5 lakh through Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives. The government also lent assistance in packaging, labelling, and branding. Consequently, this initiative has now expanded beyond Karnataka, with efforts under way to explore export opportunities,” said Priyank, pointing out that the Kalaburagi Rotti was now available on several online apps and portals such as Swiggy, Zomato and Amazon.