Udhayanidhi Stalin Visits Women’s Self-Help Group in Karur, Praises Grassroots Economic Empowerment through Paper Cup Production

Karur : Tamil Nadu Deputy Chief Minister Mr. Udhayanidhi Stalin visited the Thalir Women’s Self-Help Group (SHG) in Thirunagar, Karur Corporation, on Tuesday to review their paper cup production unit. He interacted with the women members and appreciated their role in fostering grassroots entrepreneurship and women’s empowerment.

Accompanied by Karur MLA Mr. V. Senthil Balaji, Special Programme Implementation Additional Secretary Mr. Pradeep Yadav (IAS), and local officials, the Deputy CM acknowledged the pivotal role played by SHGs in building economic independence, a vision first laid out in 1989 by Dr. Kalaignar M. Karunanidhi, who launched the SHG movement for women’s socio-economic upliftment.

Since the launch of the Dravidian Model Government, Tamil Nadu has formed 1,49,767 new women’s SHGs, bringing the total to over 4.76 lakh groups with 53.74 lakh members. In the past four years alone, ₹1.2 lakh crore in bank loans have been disbursed to over 2.48 crore members from 19.12 lakh SHGs, contributing significantly to Tamil Nadu’s rural economy.

In Karur district, over the same period, 3,175 new SHGs have been formed with 41,275 women, and loans totaling ₹1,777.34 crore have been provided to 3.95 lakh women across 32,941 groups. The Thalir SHG, operating since December 10, 2021, includes 12 members and has received support from the Karur Cooperative Bank, which offered loans and training in leadership, bookkeeping, small business management, and paper cup manufacturing.

Beyond paper cups, the Thalir SHG members also run internal loan schemes, a stationery shop, a pharmacy, and a tailoring unit, showcasing multi-faceted economic activity.

During the visit, Mr. Udhayanidhi Stalin observed the paper cup production machinery, reviewed samples, and discussed the group’s financial activities, including loan disbursement, repayment, and internal credit support. He also praised the group’s efforts in managing expenses, generating income, and building resilience through entrepreneurship.

The event was attended by Member of Parliament Ms. S. Jothimani, MLAs Mr. R. Manickam, Mr. R. Elango, and Ms. K. Shobha Sundari, Additional Secretary Dr. Uma (IAS), District Collector Mr. M. Thangavel (IAS), Mayor Ms. K. Kavitha, and several other officials and elected representatives.

Source: Directorate of Information and Public Relations, Chennai-9.