In the bustling city of Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh, Meenakshi Nagar has transformed her entrepreneurial dreams into reality, thanks to the Prime Minister’s Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP). This government initiative, aimed at empowering educated homemakers, provided her with a Rs 7 lakh loan and Rs 1.75 lakh subsidy, enabling her to launch an industrial unit producing herbal puja items from cow dung.
An MBA graduate in marketing from Sarafa Bazaar, Meenakshi chose entrepreneurship over a traditional job. Her unit specializes in natural incense sticks, havan materials, and vermicompost fertilizer, all derived from cow dung sourced from three cows she maintains. ‘My father-in-law instilled in me the value of cows as ‘Gau Mata’ and the untapped potential in their byproducts,’ she shares.
Starting with incense sticks to counter chemical-laden market alternatives, her completely natural products purify the air and are safe for health. Annual turnover exceeds Rs 20 lakhs, with demand surging across Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh, and beyond—to Nigeria and Canada.
Meenakshi employs around 20 people, ensuring at least half a dozen women have jobs even in off-seasons. Her products grace major departmental stores in the city. As Holi approaches, she’s ramping up herbal gulal production. Now, with space constraints, she’s eyeing another government loan for expansion.
This success story exemplifies how PMEGP fosters self-reliance, job creation, and sustainable use of traditional resources, blending cultural reverence with modern business acumen.