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Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised Bhadrachalam’s Srirama SHG in ‘Mann Ki Baat’ for their millet biscuit venture, ‘Bhadradri Millet Magic’. The recognition has elevated the group’s profile and opened up new opportunities for branding and expansion with CSR support

Kothagudem: The women of Bhadrachalam’s Srirama Joint Liability Group, who transformed their lives by making millet-based biscuits under the brand ‘Bhadradri Millet Magic’, received a major morale boost on Sunday as Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised their efforts during his monthly ‘Mann Ki Baat’ radio address.

Speaking under the theme of ‘Women-led Development’, the Prime Minister said: “You will also feel good when you come to know about the success of the women of Bhadrachalam in Telangana. These women once used to work as labourers in fields. They used to work hard all day for their livelihoods. Today, the same women are making biscuits from millets, i.e., Shreeanna. These biscuits, named ‘Bhadradri Millet Magic’, reach right from Hyderabad to London. These women of Bhadrachalam joined a Self Help Group and received training.”

Reacting to the national recognition, the group’s leader T Lalitha told Read that they were proud and overjoyed to hear the Prime Minister highlight their journey on a national platform. She credited the group’s success to their commitment to quality and the trust they earned from customers across domestic and overseas markets.

She also thanked the Integrated Tribal Development Agency (ITDA), Bhadrachalam, and its Project Officer B Rahul, for their support in providing training and helping set up the production unit. “It was through this institutional support that we could take the first steps,” she said.

PO Rahul, too, expressed happiness over the recognition. He recalled that the group had earlier set up a stall at Rashtrapati Bhavan, where President Droupadi Murmu appreciated the taste and quality of the millet biscuits. It was after that visit, he said, that the decision was taken to feature the group in the Mann Ki Baat programme.

Plans are now under way to organise further training in branding and packaging, and to scale up marketing with the help of CSR support from private firms. The Prime Minister’s praise, officials said, has significantly enhanced the visibility and brand value of ‘Bhadradri Millet Magic’.