Garhwal Post Bureau
Haridwar, 6 Jul: Marking a significant step towards strengthening rural livelihoods and promoting locally produced goods, the first HILANS Non-Fuel Retail (NFR) Store has been inaugurated at Maya Fuels – IndianOil Retail Outlet, Bahadrabad, Haridwar. The initiative has been established through a joint collaboration between Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL) and the Rural Enterprise Acceleration Project (REAP), Uttarakhand.
REAP, implemented by the Uttarakhand Gramya Vikas Samiti (UGVS) with support from the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), works to strengthen rural livelihoods by promoting women-led enterprises, value addition, market linkages, and sustainable income opportunities through Self-Help Groups (SHGs) and community institutions.
The newly inaugurated HILANS outlet offers a variety of high-quality products prepared by rural SHGs, including cookies, multigrain atta, honey, organic jaggery, ghee, dhoop cones, jute bags, soaps, and other value-added products, providing consumers with authentic local products while creating sustainable market opportunities for rural entrepreneurs.
The inauguration was attended by Dr Lalit Narayan Mishra, Chief Development Officer, Haridwar; Jharna Kamthan, Project Director, REAP; Rajiv Shreshtha, Executive Director & State Head (Uttarakhand and West Uttar Pradesh), IndianOil; and Sanjay Semwal, State Retail Head (Uttarakhand and West Uttar Pradesh), IndianOil. Also present were District Project Manager Sanjay Saxena, Assistant Managers Amit Sharma, Kam Singh, Shiv Shankar Bisht, and the REAP Haridwar district team.
On the occasion, Jharna Kamthan said that the HILANS outlet represents an important milestone in connecting rural producers directly with consumers and creating sustainable market opportunities for women-led enterprises. She emphasised that such partnerships will further strengthen community institutions and enhance rural incomes.
Dr Lalit Narayan Mishra appreciated the collaborative initiative and stated that providing reliable market access to rural products is essential for promoting self-reliance and sustainable livelihoods. He expressed confidence that the outlet would encourage more women entrepreneurs to scale up their enterprises.
District Project Manager Sanjay Saxena highlighted that the HILANS outlet will serve as a dedicated platform for showcasing quality products made by rural SHGs and community enterprises, while also strengthening branding, value addition, and long-term market linkages for producers across the district.
The inauguration marks the beginning of a new chapter in promoting Uttarakhand’s local products through organised retail, supporting women entrepreneurs, and expanding market access under the REAP initiative.
