Shri Mahila Griha Udyog Lijjat Papad
Encyclopedia
Shri Mahila Griha Udyog Lijjat Papad, popularly known as Lijjat, is an Indian women
's cooperative involved in manufacturing of various fast moving consumer goods
. The organization's main objective is empowerment of women by providing them employment opportunities. Started in the year 1959 with a seed capital of Rs.
80, Lijjat has an annual turnover of around Rs. 650 crore, with Rs. 29 crore in exports . It provides employment to around 42,000 people. Lijjat is headquartered in Mumbai
and has 67 branches and 35 divisions all over India.
Lijjat is primarily a cottage industry, urban by its origin, that has spread to the rural areas. It is considered as one of the most remarkable entrepreneurial initiatives by women that is identified with female empowerment in India.
housewives from Bombay (now Mumbai
). The women lived in Lohana Niwas, a group of five buildings in Girgaum. They wanted to start a venture to create a sustainable livelihood using the only skill they had i.e. cooking. The seven women were Jaswantiben Jamnadas Popat, Parvatiben Ramdas Thodani, Ujamben Narandas Kundalia, Banuben. N. Tanna, Laguben Amritlar Gokani, Jayaben V. Vithalani, and one more lady whose name is not known.
The women borrowed Rs 80 from Chaganlal Karamsi Parekh, a member of the Servants of India Society and a social worker. They took over a loss-making papad making venture by one Laxmidasbhai and bought the necessary ingredients and the basic infrastructure required to manufacture papads. On March 15, 1959, they gathered on the terrace of their building and started with the production of 4 packets of Papads. They started selling the papads to a known merchant in Bhuleshwar
. From the beginning, the women had decided that they would not approach anyone for donations or help, even if the organization incurred losses.
Chaganlal Karamsi Parekh, popularly known as Chaganbapa, became their guide. Initially, the women were making two different qualities of papads, in order to sell the inferior one at a cheaper rate. Chaganbapa advised them to make a standard papad and asked them never to compromise on quality. He emphasized to them the importance of running it as a business enterprise and maintaining proper accounts.
Lijjat expanded as a cooperative
system. Initially, even younger girls could join, but later eighteen was fixed as the minimum age of entry. Within three months there were about 25 women making papads. Soon the women bought some equipment for the business, like utensils, cupboard
s, stove
s, etc. In the first year, the organization's annual sales were Rs. 6196. The broken papads were distributed among neighbours.
During the first year, the women had to stop production for four months during the rainy season as the rains would prevent the drying of the papads. The next year, they solved the problem by buying a cot and a stove. The papads were kept on the cot and the stove below the cot so that the process of drying could take place in spite of the rains.
The group got considerable publicity through word of mouth
and articles in vernacular newspapers. This publicity helped it increase its membership. By the second year of its formation, 100 to 150 women had joined the group, and by the end of the third year it had more than 300 members. By this time, the terrace of seven founders could no longer accommodate the members and the ingredients, so the kneaded flour was distributed among the members who would take it to their homes and make papads. The papads were brought back for weighing and packaging.
An attempt to start a branch in Malad suburb of Mumbai, in 1961, was unsuccessful. In 1962, the name Lijjat (Gujarati
for "tasty") was chosen by the group for its products. The name was suggested by Dhirajben Ruparel, was chosen in a contest held for the purpose, with prize money of Rs. 5. The organization was named Shri Mahila Griha Udyog Lijjat Papad. In many Indian languages, Mahila means women, Griha means home, Udyog means industry. By 1962-63, its annual sales of papads touched Rs. 1.82 lakh (Rs. 182,000).
In July 1966, Lijjat registered itself as a society under the Societies Registration Act 1860. In the same month, on Chaganbapa's recommendation, U N Deodhar, the chairman of KVIC personally inspected the Lijjat. KVIC or Khadi Development and Village Industries Commission
is a statutory body set up by the Government of India
for development of rural industries. In September 1966, KVIC formally recognized Lijjat as a unit belonging to the "processing of cereals and pulses industry group" under the Khadi and Village Industries Act. It was also recognized as a "village industry". In 1966, KVIC granted it a working capital of Rs. 8 lakhs (0.8 million) and was allowed certain tax exemptions.
An attempt to start a branch in Sangli
town, in 1966, was unsuccessful. The first branch outside Maharashtra was established at Valod, Gujarat in 1968. After tasting tremendous success with their papads, Lijjat began producing other products like khakhra
(1974), masala
(1976), vadi, wheat atta, and bakery products (1979). In 1970s, Lijjat set up flour mills(1975), printing division (1977) and polypropylene
packing division (1978). The group also initiated some unsuccessful ventures such as cottage leather (1979), matches (1979), and agarbattis (incense sticks).
In July 1979, the general secretary of a trade union tried to interfere in Lijjat's affairs, making certain demands on behalf of a few member-sisters. L. C. Joshi, Labour Advocate of Bombay and a well-known industrial relations expert, was called for consultations. In his observations on "Who owns Lijjat?", he clarified that member-sisters were competent to take a decision for their own and it was not open for an outside agency to interfere with the internal working of Lijjat.
In 1985, the Lijjat branch at Jabalpur was taken over by one Shantilal Shah as his own unit, which he ran with the help of a Sanchalika (branch head), who was wife of his employee. Lijjat went through tremendous pressures and court stay orders to retrieve the situation.
In 1987, Lijjat purchased new premises at Kamal Apartments in Bandra, a suburb of Mumbai. The registered office shifted to the Bandra with effect from July 1988. In 1988, Lijjat entered the soap market with Sasa detergent and soap.. Sasa had annual sales of Rs 500 million, accounting for 17 percent of Lijjat's total turnover in 1998. In March 1996, the 50th branch of Lijjat was inaugrated in Mumbai.
In 1980s, Lijjat also started taking part in several trade fairs and exhibitions, which improve its sales and made the brand name "Lijjat" well-known among the people. The advertising was undertaken through the vernacular newspapers, television and radio. The institution sponsored programs and gave away gifts for the winners of specific shows in the television. The money for advertisements was spent by the Polypropylene Division, which recovered the same by adding it to the price of the bags that it supplied to all the branches and divisions throughout India.
In the 1980s and 1990s, Lijjat started attracting attention of foreign visitors and officials. The Vice-President of Uganda, Dr. Speciosa Wandira-Kazibwe, visited Lijjat's central office in January 1996, since she wanted to start a similar institution in Uganda. Lijjat started exporting its products with the help of merchant importers in the United Kingdom, the United States, the Middle East, Singapore, the Netherlands Thailand, and other countries. Its annual exports accounted for more than US$2.4 million in 2001. As its popularity grow, Lijjat started facing the problem of fake Lijjat papads being introduced in the market. In June 2001, three persons were arrested in this connection, in Bihar
. Lijjat's website explains the identification features of original Lijjat papads.
Lijjat received the "Best Village Industries Institution" award from KVIC
for the period 1998-99 to 2000-01. In 2002, the "Businesswoman of the Year" award was given to "The Women Behind Lijjat Papad" at The Economic Times Awards
for Corporate Excellence. At the awards ceremony, the President of Lijjat urged the State Governments of Maharashtra
and Punjab
to reconsider their decision of withdrawing the tax exemption on Lijjat's Sasa Detergent.
In 2002, Lijjat had a turnover of Rs 3 billion and exports worth Rs.100 million. It employed 42,000 people in 62 divisions all over the country. The 62nd branch became operational at Jammu and Kashmir
in 2002, enrolling over 150 members.
In 2003, Lijjat received the "Best Village Industry Institution". It also received the PHDCCI Brand Equity Award 2005.
Lijjat marks its 50th year of existence on March 15, 2009..
and collective ownership. It accepts all its working members as the owners and an equal partaker in both profit and loss. The members are co-owners and fondly referred to as "sisters". All the decisions are based on consensus and any member-sister has the right to veto a decision. Men can only be salaried employees (accountants, drivers or security guards), and not the members of the organization (i.e. they are not the owners).
The running of the organization is entrusted to a managing committee of twenty-one members, including the President, the Vice-President, two secretaries, and two treasures. Sanchalikas are in-charge of various branches and divisions. The office bearers of the managing committee and the sanchalikas are chosen from among the member-sisters on the basis of consensus every three years
. Each branch has a committee eleven member-sisters, again chosen by consensus.
The central office at Mumbai
previously coordinated the activities of various branches. But, as the organization grew, the authority was decentralized in terms of work and sharing of profits at the branch level. However, the sanchalikas still need the managing committee's approval before they undertake any new project or activity.
All the branches follow the same set of instructions and have similar accounting system. To co-ordinate various branches in a region or state, there are branch coordination committees and area meeting
s of various branches in a state. The annual general meeting is attended by member-sisters representing branches and divisions all over India.
Currently, Lijjat has branches in seventeen Indian states -- Andhra Pradesh
, Bihar
, Delhi
, Gujarat, Haryana
, Jharkhand
, Jammu and Kashmir
, Karnataka
, Kerala
, Madhya Pradesh
, Maharashtra
, Orissa
, Punjab
, Rajasthan
, Tamil Nadu
, Uttar Pradesh
, and West Bengal
.
Account books are easily accessible to all the member-sisters, ensuring transparency. Lijjat follows its own financial accountability principle. There is no credit method for running operations in the organization. Every payment is done on a daily basis, except for the outside supply of raw material. Profit
s and losses are shared equally among the members of a given branch. In the initial days of Lijjat, the profits of the first six months were shared equally among all sisters in the form of gold
. This sharing practice is still in effect, but now the decision whether to share the profits in gold or in cash
is made at the branch level. The cost of national-level advertising
is borne by all branches and divisions, depending on their individual production abilities.
Because of Lijjat's main motive of generating self-employment for women, no machinery is used at the production level, and everything is done manually. However, computers are now being used in some of the Mumbai branches for accounts and administration.
The quality of papads can vary due to quality of water
used in various parts of India. To avoid any inconsistencies, the final products are tested in the Lijjat's laboratory in Mumbai. In the monthly meetings, the quality issue and modifications are tested. The central office purchases and distributes all ingredients to maintain the quality of the final product. For example, the urad dal
is imported from Myanmar
, asafetida is imported from Iran
, and black pepper
comes from Kerala. The committee often makes surprise visits to various branches to assure that production conditions are hygienic. When a new branch of Lijjat opens, a neighboring
Lijjat branch helps it by guiding and training new members.
On successive failures of a branch to abide by the organization's philosophy of consistent quality and production of papads, the central committee reduces the daily wages of its members by 1 rupee. The member-sisters are also rewarded for extra effort. For instance, in 2002, the member-sisters at the Rajkot branch received Rs 4,000 each as bonus, while the member sisters at Mumbai
and Thane
branches received a 5-gram gold coin as an incentive. Several issues of Lijjat Patrika enumerate the names of the names/numbers of the member-sisters, who were rewarded with the cash or gold, for their extra efforts.
Lijjat has several divisions and manufacturing units:
, is published and circulated for a nominal rate to those interested in the activities of Lijjat. It is published in many languages, including English
, Gujarati
, Marathi
and Hindi
. It has emerged as a strong mode of communication for information related to significant events and initiatives at Lijjat, in addition to presenting articles on women.
Member sisters across all branches of Lijjat recite an all-religion prayer before beginning their daily activities. The sisters are free to choose their activities and each activity is given equal importance.
Leaving the organization is voluntary. No member sister can be asked to leave unless or until she goes against the organizational principles. There is no fixed retirement
age at Lijjat. Once, when the president Jyoti Naik
was questioned about this anomaly, she said that there was no need to make provision for a retirement age, as the emphasis obviously was on earning one's bread through daily work, all through one's life.
Because of Lijjat's main motive of generating self-employment for women, no machinery is used at the production level, and everything is done manually. However, computers are now being used in some of the Mumbai branches for accounts and administration.
The member-sisters used their organization as a medium to promote their and their families' welfare. In the Valod centre they set up an educational and hobby centre for the rural women. Orientation courses in typing, cooking, sewing, knitting and toy making as well as other courses like child welfare, first aid and hygiene were taught. The first ever pucca (tarred) road in Valod to be built and inaugurated in 1979 was with the help of the Lijjat, Valod branch.
In 1979, Lijjat teamed up with UNICEF to organize a seminar in Mumbai on "Child Care and Mother Welfare", as part of the International Year of the Child celebrations. In October 1984, Bhadraben Bhatt represented Lijjat at the UNESCO sponsored international workshop on "The role of women in the assimilation and spread of technological innovation" held at NITIE
, Powai
. Alkaben Kalia represented Lijjat at the national level meeting on women convened by the National Commission on Self Employed Women.
At the behest of Mother Teresa
, the member-sisters also took part in some activities of Asha Dhan, an institution to care for destitute women.
Lijjat member-sisters also tried to start a co-operative bank, but the effort was not very successful.
Lijjat undertook the rehabilitation of Chincholi (Jogan), the earthquake affected village in the Latur
district of Maharashtra. The institution provided the finance and supervised the work of construction of fifty-eight houses for the people of the village. Member-sisters donated money from their daily vanai (wage). After the 2001 Gujarat earthquake
, all the branches of Lijjat gave a total donation of more than Rs 4.8 million, including Rs 1 million from the central office. Lijjat built forty houses for the rehabilitation of the people of Bhujpur (Bhachau
) in Kutch District
.
Women in India
The status of women in India has been subject to many great changes over the past few millennia. From equal status with men in ancient times through the low points of the medieval period, to the promotion of equal rights by many reformers, the history of women in India has been eventful...
's cooperative involved in manufacturing of various fast moving consumer goods
Fast Moving Consumer Goods
Fast moving consumer goods or Consumer Packaged Goods are products that are sold quickly and at relatively low cost. Examples include non-durable goods such as soft drinks, toiletries, and grocery items...
. The organization's main objective is empowerment of women by providing them employment opportunities. Started in the year 1959 with a seed capital of Rs.
Indian rupee
The Indian rupee is the official currency of the Republic of India. The issuance of the currency is controlled by the Reserve Bank of India....
80, Lijjat has an annual turnover of around Rs. 650 crore, with Rs. 29 crore in exports . It provides employment to around 42,000 people. Lijjat is headquartered in Mumbai
Mumbai
Mumbai , formerly known as Bombay in English, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million...
and has 67 branches and 35 divisions all over India.
Lijjat is primarily a cottage industry, urban by its origin, that has spread to the rural areas. It is considered as one of the most remarkable entrepreneurial initiatives by women that is identified with female empowerment in India.
History
Lijjat was the brain child of seven semi-literate GujaratiGujarati people
Gujarati people , or Gujaratis are an ethnic group that is traditionally Gujarati-speaking and can trace their ancestry to the state of Gujarat in western India...
housewives from Bombay (now Mumbai
Mumbai
Mumbai , formerly known as Bombay in English, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million...
). The women lived in Lohana Niwas, a group of five buildings in Girgaum. They wanted to start a venture to create a sustainable livelihood using the only skill they had i.e. cooking. The seven women were Jaswantiben Jamnadas Popat, Parvatiben Ramdas Thodani, Ujamben Narandas Kundalia, Banuben. N. Tanna, Laguben Amritlar Gokani, Jayaben V. Vithalani, and one more lady whose name is not known.
The women borrowed Rs 80 from Chaganlal Karamsi Parekh, a member of the Servants of India Society and a social worker. They took over a loss-making papad making venture by one Laxmidasbhai and bought the necessary ingredients and the basic infrastructure required to manufacture papads. On March 15, 1959, they gathered on the terrace of their building and started with the production of 4 packets of Papads. They started selling the papads to a known merchant in Bhuleshwar
Kalbadevi
Kalbadevi is an old neighbourhood in Mumbai , India. It is named after the Hindu Goddess of the same name. Postal code 400002. Kalbadevi area is one of the busiest areas during peak hours. The area has mostly traders in watches, bicycles, steel utensils, etc.Kalbadevi is within walking distance...
. From the beginning, the women had decided that they would not approach anyone for donations or help, even if the organization incurred losses.
Lijjat expanded as a cooperative
Worker cooperative
A worker cooperative is a cooperative owned and democratically managed by its worker-owners. This control may be exercised in a number of ways. A cooperative enterprise may mean a firm where every worker-owner participates in decision making in a democratic fashion, or it may refer to one in which...
system. Initially, even younger girls could join, but later eighteen was fixed as the minimum age of entry. Within three months there were about 25 women making papads. Soon the women bought some equipment for the business, like utensils, cupboard
Cupboard
A cupboard or press is a type of cabinet, often made of wood, used indoors to store household objects such as food, crockery, textiles and liquor, and protect them from dust,vermin and dirt....
s, stove
Stove
A stove is an enclosed heated space. The term is commonly taken to mean an enclosed space in which fuel is burned to provide heating, either to heat the space in which the stove is situated or to heat the stove itself, and items placed on it...
s, etc. In the first year, the organization's annual sales were Rs. 6196. The broken papads were distributed among neighbours.
During the first year, the women had to stop production for four months during the rainy season as the rains would prevent the drying of the papads. The next year, they solved the problem by buying a cot and a stove. The papads were kept on the cot and the stove below the cot so that the process of drying could take place in spite of the rains.
The group got considerable publicity through word of mouth
Word of mouth
Word of mouth, or viva voce, is the passing of information from person to person by oral communication. Storytelling is the oldest form of word-of-mouth communication where one person tells others of something, whether a real event or something made up. Oral tradition is cultural material and...
and articles in vernacular newspapers. This publicity helped it increase its membership. By the second year of its formation, 100 to 150 women had joined the group, and by the end of the third year it had more than 300 members. By this time, the terrace of seven founders could no longer accommodate the members and the ingredients, so the kneaded flour was distributed among the members who would take it to their homes and make papads. The papads were brought back for weighing and packaging.
An attempt to start a branch in Malad suburb of Mumbai, in 1961, was unsuccessful. In 1962, the name Lijjat (Gujarati
Gujarati language
Gujarati is an Indo-Aryan language, and part of the greater Indo-European language family. It is derived from a language called Old Gujarati which is the ancestor language of the modern Gujarati and Rajasthani languages...
for "tasty") was chosen by the group for its products. The name was suggested by Dhirajben Ruparel, was chosen in a contest held for the purpose, with prize money of Rs. 5. The organization was named Shri Mahila Griha Udyog Lijjat Papad. In many Indian languages, Mahila means women, Griha means home, Udyog means industry. By 1962-63, its annual sales of papads touched Rs. 1.82 lakh (Rs. 182,000).
In July 1966, Lijjat registered itself as a society under the Societies Registration Act 1860. In the same month, on Chaganbapa's recommendation, U N Deodhar, the chairman of KVIC personally inspected the Lijjat. KVIC or Khadi Development and Village Industries Commission
Khadi Development and Village Industries Commission
The Khadi and Village Industries Commission is a statutory body formed by the Government of India, under the Act of Parliament, 'Khadi and Village Industries Commission Act of 1956'. It is an apex organization under Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises The Khadi and Village Industries...
is a statutory body set up by the Government of India
Government of India
The Government of India, officially known as the Union Government, and also known as the Central Government, was established by the Constitution of India, and is the governing authority of the union of 28 states and seven union territories, collectively called the Republic of India...
for development of rural industries. In September 1966, KVIC formally recognized Lijjat as a unit belonging to the "processing of cereals and pulses industry group" under the Khadi and Village Industries Act. It was also recognized as a "village industry". In 1966, KVIC granted it a working capital of Rs. 8 lakhs (0.8 million) and was allowed certain tax exemptions.
An attempt to start a branch in Sangli
Sangli
Sangli is a city in the state of Maharashtra of India. Sangli is known as the Turmeric city for its vast production of Turmeric. Sangli is situated on the banks of river Krishna and is the largest market place for Turmeric in Asia and houses many sugar factories, which it is also noted for...
town, in 1966, was unsuccessful. The first branch outside Maharashtra was established at Valod, Gujarat in 1968. After tasting tremendous success with their papads, Lijjat began producing other products like khakhra
Khakhra
Khakhra is a popular vegetarian roasted Gujarati Indian thin cracker bread or snack item made from mat bean and wheat flour and oil.-Varieties:Khakhra is made in several varieties such methi, jeera, bajri, math and masala flavors to name a few....
(1974), masala
Masala
Masala or massala is a term used in South Asian cuisines to mostly describe a mixture of spices. A masala can either be a combination of dried spices, or a paste made from a mixture of spices and other ingredients—often garlic, ginger, onions and chilli paste...
(1976), vadi, wheat atta, and bakery products (1979). In 1970s, Lijjat set up flour mills(1975), printing division (1977) and polypropylene
Polypropylene
Polypropylene , also known as polypropene, is a thermoplastic polymer used in a wide variety of applications including packaging, textiles , stationery, plastic parts and reusable containers of various types, laboratory equipment, loudspeakers, automotive components, and polymer banknotes...
packing division (1978). The group also initiated some unsuccessful ventures such as cottage leather (1979), matches (1979), and agarbattis (incense sticks).
In July 1979, the general secretary of a trade union tried to interfere in Lijjat's affairs, making certain demands on behalf of a few member-sisters. L. C. Joshi, Labour Advocate of Bombay and a well-known industrial relations expert, was called for consultations. In his observations on "Who owns Lijjat?", he clarified that member-sisters were competent to take a decision for their own and it was not open for an outside agency to interfere with the internal working of Lijjat.
In 1985, the Lijjat branch at Jabalpur was taken over by one Shantilal Shah as his own unit, which he ran with the help of a Sanchalika (branch head), who was wife of his employee. Lijjat went through tremendous pressures and court stay orders to retrieve the situation.
In 1987, Lijjat purchased new premises at Kamal Apartments in Bandra, a suburb of Mumbai. The registered office shifted to the Bandra with effect from July 1988. In 1988, Lijjat entered the soap market with Sasa detergent and soap.. Sasa had annual sales of Rs 500 million, accounting for 17 percent of Lijjat's total turnover in 1998. In March 1996, the 50th branch of Lijjat was inaugrated in Mumbai.
In 1980s, Lijjat also started taking part in several trade fairs and exhibitions, which improve its sales and made the brand name "Lijjat" well-known among the people. The advertising was undertaken through the vernacular newspapers, television and radio. The institution sponsored programs and gave away gifts for the winners of specific shows in the television. The money for advertisements was spent by the Polypropylene Division, which recovered the same by adding it to the price of the bags that it supplied to all the branches and divisions throughout India.
In the 1980s and 1990s, Lijjat started attracting attention of foreign visitors and officials. The Vice-President of Uganda, Dr. Speciosa Wandira-Kazibwe, visited Lijjat's central office in January 1996, since she wanted to start a similar institution in Uganda. Lijjat started exporting its products with the help of merchant importers in the United Kingdom, the United States, the Middle East, Singapore, the Netherlands Thailand, and other countries. Its annual exports accounted for more than US$2.4 million in 2001. As its popularity grow, Lijjat started facing the problem of fake Lijjat papads being introduced in the market. In June 2001, three persons were arrested in this connection, in Bihar
Bihar
Bihar is a state in eastern India. It is the 12th largest state in terms of geographical size at and 3rd largest by population. Almost 58% of Biharis are below the age of 25, which is the highest proportion in India....
. Lijjat's website explains the identification features of original Lijjat papads.
Lijjat received the "Best Village Industries Institution" award from KVIC
Khadi Development and Village Industries Commission
The Khadi and Village Industries Commission is a statutory body formed by the Government of India, under the Act of Parliament, 'Khadi and Village Industries Commission Act of 1956'. It is an apex organization under Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises The Khadi and Village Industries...
for the period 1998-99 to 2000-01. In 2002, the "Businesswoman of the Year" award was given to "The Women Behind Lijjat Papad" at The Economic Times Awards
Economic Times Awards
The Economic Times Awards for Corporate Excellence are the awards conferred by The Economic Times in the field of business, corporate and government policies, economies in India...
for Corporate Excellence. At the awards ceremony, the President of Lijjat urged the State Governments of Maharashtra
Maharashtra
Maharashtra is a state located in India. It is the second most populous after Uttar Pradesh and third largest state by area in India...
and Punjab
Punjab (India)
Punjab ) is a state in the northwest of the Republic of India, forming part of the larger Punjab region. The state is bordered by the Indian states of Himachal Pradesh to the east, Haryana to the south and southeast and Rajasthan to the southwest as well as the Pakistani province of Punjab to the...
to reconsider their decision of withdrawing the tax exemption on Lijjat's Sasa Detergent.
In 2002, Lijjat had a turnover of Rs 3 billion and exports worth Rs.100 million. It employed 42,000 people in 62 divisions all over the country. The 62nd branch became operational at Jammu and Kashmir
Jammu and Kashmir
Jammu and Kashmir is the northernmost state of India. It is situated mostly in the Himalayan mountains. Jammu and Kashmir shares a border with the states of Himachal Pradesh and Punjab to the south and internationally with the People's Republic of China to the north and east and the...
in 2002, enrolling over 150 members.
In 2003, Lijjat received the "Best Village Industry Institution". It also received the PHDCCI Brand Equity Award 2005.
Lijjat marks its 50th year of existence on March 15, 2009..
Organization structure and management
Lijjat believes in the philosophy of sarvodayaSarvodaya
Sarvodaya is a term meaning 'universal uplift' or 'progress of all'. The term was first coined by Mahatma Gandhi as the title of his 1908 translation of John Ruskin's tract on political economy, Unto This Last, and Gandhi came to use the term for the ideal of his own political philosophy...
and collective ownership. It accepts all its working members as the owners and an equal partaker in both profit and loss. The members are co-owners and fondly referred to as "sisters". All the decisions are based on consensus and any member-sister has the right to veto a decision. Men can only be salaried employees (accountants, drivers or security guards), and not the members of the organization (i.e. they are not the owners).
. Each branch has a committee eleven member-sisters, again chosen by consensus.
The central office at Mumbai
Mumbai
Mumbai , formerly known as Bombay in English, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million...
previously coordinated the activities of various branches. But, as the organization grew, the authority was decentralized in terms of work and sharing of profits at the branch level. However, the sanchalikas still need the managing committee's approval before they undertake any new project or activity.
All the branches follow the same set of instructions and have similar accounting system. To co-ordinate various branches in a region or state, there are branch coordination committees and area meeting
Meeting
In a meeting, two or more people come together to discuss one or more topics, often in a formal setting.- Definitions :An act or process of coming together as an assembly for a common purpose....
s of various branches in a state. The annual general meeting is attended by member-sisters representing branches and divisions all over India.
Currently, Lijjat has branches in seventeen Indian states -- Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh , is one of the 28 states of India, situated on the southeastern coast of India. It is India's fourth largest state by area and fifth largest by population. Its capital and largest city by population is Hyderabad.The total GDP of Andhra Pradesh is $100 billion and is ranked third...
, Bihar
Bihar
Bihar is a state in eastern India. It is the 12th largest state in terms of geographical size at and 3rd largest by population. Almost 58% of Biharis are below the age of 25, which is the highest proportion in India....
, Delhi
Delhi
Delhi , officially National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, next to Mumbai. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population with 16,753,265 inhabitants in the Territory at the 2011 Census...
, Gujarat, Haryana
Haryana
Haryana is a state in India. Historically, it has been a part of the Kuru region in North India. The name Haryana is found mentioned in the 12th century AD by the apabhramsha writer Vibudh Shridhar . It is bordered by Punjab and Himachal Pradesh to the north, and by Rajasthan to the west and south...
, Jharkhand
Jharkhand
Jharkhand is a state in eastern India. It was carved out of the southern part of Bihar on 15 November 2000. Jharkhand shares its border with the states of Bihar to the north, Uttar Pradesh and Chhattisgarh to the west, Orissa to the south, and West Bengal to the east...
, Jammu and Kashmir
Jammu and Kashmir
Jammu and Kashmir is the northernmost state of India. It is situated mostly in the Himalayan mountains. Jammu and Kashmir shares a border with the states of Himachal Pradesh and Punjab to the south and internationally with the People's Republic of China to the north and east and the...
, Karnataka
Karnataka
Karnataka , the land of the Kannadigas, is a state in South West India. It was created on 1 November 1956, with the passing of the States Reorganisation Act and this day is annually celebrated as Karnataka Rajyotsava...
, Kerala
Kerala
or Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....
, Madhya Pradesh
Madhya Pradesh
Madhya Pradesh , often called the Heart of India, is a state in central India. Its capital is Bhopal and Indore is the largest city....
, Maharashtra
Maharashtra
Maharashtra is a state located in India. It is the second most populous after Uttar Pradesh and third largest state by area in India...
, Orissa
Orissa
Orissa , officially Odisha since Nov 2011, is a state of India, located on the east coast of India, by the Bay of Bengal. It is the modern name of the ancient nation of Kalinga, which was invaded by the Maurya Emperor Ashoka in 261 BC. The modern state of Orissa was established on 1 April...
, Punjab
Punjab (India)
Punjab ) is a state in the northwest of the Republic of India, forming part of the larger Punjab region. The state is bordered by the Indian states of Himachal Pradesh to the east, Haryana to the south and southeast and Rajasthan to the southwest as well as the Pakistani province of Punjab to the...
, Rajasthan
Rajasthan
Rājasthān the land of Rajasthanis, , is the largest state of the Republic of India by area. It is located in the northwest of India. It encompasses most of the area of the large, inhospitable Great Indian Desert , which has an edge paralleling the Sutlej-Indus river valley along its border with...
, Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu is one of the 28 states of India. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu lies in the southernmost part of the Indian Peninsula and is bordered by the union territory of Pondicherry, and the states of Kerala, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh...
, Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh abbreviation U.P. , is a state located in the northern part of India. With a population of over 200 million people, it is India's most populous state, as well as the world's most populous sub-national entity...
, and West Bengal
West Bengal
West Bengal is a state in the eastern region of India and is the nation's fourth-most populous. It is also the seventh-most populous sub-national entity in the world, with over 91 million inhabitants. A major agricultural producer, West Bengal is the sixth-largest contributor to India's GDP...
.
Account books are easily accessible to all the member-sisters, ensuring transparency. Lijjat follows its own financial accountability principle. There is no credit method for running operations in the organization. Every payment is done on a daily basis, except for the outside supply of raw material. Profit
Profit (accounting)
In accounting, profit can be considered to be the difference between the purchase price and the costs of bringing to market whatever it is that is accounted as an enterprise in terms of the component costs of delivered goods and/or services and any operating or other expenses.-Definition:There are...
s and losses are shared equally among the members of a given branch. In the initial days of Lijjat, the profits of the first six months were shared equally among all sisters in the form of gold
Gold
Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au and an atomic number of 79. Gold is a dense, soft, shiny, malleable and ductile metal. Pure gold has a bright yellow color and luster traditionally considered attractive, which it maintains without oxidizing in air or water. Chemically, gold is a...
. This sharing practice is still in effect, but now the decision whether to share the profits in gold or in cash
Cash
In common language cash refers to money in the physical form of currency, such as banknotes and coins.In bookkeeping and finance, cash refers to current assets comprising currency or currency equivalents that can be accessed immediately or near-immediately...
is made at the branch level. The cost of national-level advertising
Advertising
Advertising is a form of communication used to persuade an audience to take some action with respect to products, ideas, or services. Most commonly, the desired result is to drive consumer behavior with respect to a commercial offering, although political and ideological advertising is also common...
is borne by all branches and divisions, depending on their individual production abilities.
Because of Lijjat's main motive of generating self-employment for women, no machinery is used at the production level, and everything is done manually. However, computers are now being used in some of the Mumbai branches for accounts and administration.
The quality of papads can vary due to quality of water
Water
Water is a chemical substance with the chemical formula H2O. A water molecule contains one oxygen and two hydrogen atoms connected by covalent bonds. Water is a liquid at ambient conditions, but it often co-exists on Earth with its solid state, ice, and gaseous state . Water also exists in a...
used in various parts of India. To avoid any inconsistencies, the final products are tested in the Lijjat's laboratory in Mumbai. In the monthly meetings, the quality issue and modifications are tested. The central office purchases and distributes all ingredients to maintain the quality of the final product. For example, the urad dal
Urad (bean)
Vigna mungo, known as urad, urad dal, udad dal, urd bean, urd, urid, black matpe bean, black gram, black lentil [not to be confused with the much smaller true black lentil ], maas , đậu đen or white lentil, is a bean grown in southern Asia...
is imported from Myanmar
Myanmar
Burma , officially the Republic of the Union of Myanmar , is a country in Southeast Asia. Burma is bordered by China on the northeast, Laos on the east, Thailand on the southeast, Bangladesh on the west, India on the northwest, the Bay of Bengal to the southwest, and the Andaman Sea on the south....
, asafetida is imported from Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
, and black pepper
Black pepper
Black pepper is a flowering vine in the family Piperaceae, cultivated for its fruit, which is usually dried and used as a spice and seasoning. The fruit, known as a peppercorn when dried, is approximately in diameter, dark red when fully mature, and, like all drupes, contains a single seed...
comes from Kerala. The committee often makes surprise visits to various branches to assure that production conditions are hygienic. When a new branch of Lijjat opens, a neighboring
Lijjat branch helps it by guiding and training new members.
On successive failures of a branch to abide by the organization's philosophy of consistent quality and production of papads, the central committee reduces the daily wages of its members by 1 rupee. The member-sisters are also rewarded for extra effort. For instance, in 2002, the member-sisters at the Rajkot branch received Rs 4,000 each as bonus, while the member sisters at Mumbai
Mumbai
Mumbai , formerly known as Bombay in English, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million...
and Thane
Thane
Thane , is a city in Maharashtra, India, part of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, northeastern suburb of Mumbai at the head of the Thane Creek. It is the administrative headquarters of Thane district. On 16 April 1853, G.I.P...
branches received a 5-gram gold coin as an incentive. Several issues of Lijjat Patrika enumerate the names of the names/numbers of the member-sisters, who were rewarded with the cash or gold, for their extra efforts.
Products and divisions
Lijjat's manufactures several products, of which the papad is the most famous:- Papad (Five flavours: lasanGarlicAllium sativum, commonly known as garlic, is a species in the onion genus, Allium. Its close relatives include the onion, shallot, leek, chive, and rakkyo. Dating back over 6,000 years, garlic is native to central Asia, and has long been a staple in the Mediterranean region, as well as a frequent...
, moongMung beanThe mung bean is the seed of Vigna radiata. It is native to the Indian subcontinent.-Description:They are small, ovoid in shape, and green in color...
, mirchChili pepperChili pepper is the fruit of plants from the genus Capsicum, members of the nightshade family, Solanaceae. The term in British English and in Australia, New Zealand, India, Malaysia and other Asian countries is just chilli without pepper.Chili peppers originated in the Americas...
, Punjabi and uradUrad (bean)Vigna mungo, known as urad, urad dal, udad dal, urd bean, urd, urid, black matpe bean, black gram, black lentil [not to be confused with the much smaller true black lentil ], maas , đậu đen or white lentil, is a bean grown in southern Asia...
) - KhakhraKhakhraKhakhra is a popular vegetarian roasted Gujarati Indian thin cracker bread or snack item made from mat bean and wheat flour and oil.-Varieties:Khakhra is made in several varieties such methi, jeera, bajri, math and masala flavors to name a few....
- Appalam
- MasalaMasalaMasala or massala is a term used in South Asian cuisines to mostly describe a mixture of spices. A masala can either be a combination of dried spices, or a paste made from a mixture of spices and other ingredients—often garlic, ginger, onions and chilli paste...
- Vadi
- Gehu Atta (Wheat flour)
- BakeryBakeryA bakery is an establishment which produces and sells flour-based food baked in an oven such as bread, cakes, pastries and pies. Some retail bakeries are also cafés, serving coffee and tea to customers who wish to consume the baked goods on the premises.-See also:*Baker*Cake...
products - ChapatiChapatiChapati or Chapatti or Chapathi is an unleavened flatbread from the Indian subcontinent. Versions of it are found in Turkmenistan and in East African countries Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania...
- SASA DetergentDetergentA detergent is a surfactant or a mixture of surfactants with "cleaning properties in dilute solutions." In common usage, "detergent" refers to alkylbenzenesulfonates, a family of compounds that are similar to soap but are less affected by hard water...
Powder - SASA Detergent Cake (Tikia)
- SASA Nilam Detergent Powder
- SASA Liquid Detergent
Lijjat has several divisions and manufacturing units:
- Flour Division (VashiVashiVashi is an upmarket residential as well as commercial township in the city of Navi Mumbai. It is a premier city in Navi Mumbai and was one of the first "nodes" developed by CIDCO.-Populace:...
) - Masala Division and Quality Control Laboratory (Cotton GreenCotton GreenCotton Green is a suburb of Mumbai, and a noted residential and commercial area east of Parel, in central Mumbai, 8 km north of Colaba. It is also the name of a railway station on the Mumbai suburban railway, which lies along the Harbour line, which is a part of the Central...
) - Printing Division (Cotton GreenCotton GreenCotton Green is a suburb of Mumbai, and a noted residential and commercial area east of Parel, in central Mumbai, 8 km north of Colaba. It is also the name of a railway station on the Mumbai suburban railway, which lies along the Harbour line, which is a part of the Central...
) - Advertising Division, Bandra
- KhakhraKhakhraKhakhra is a popular vegetarian roasted Gujarati Indian thin cracker bread or snack item made from mat bean and wheat flour and oil.-Varieties:Khakhra is made in several varieties such methi, jeera, bajri, math and masala flavors to name a few....
Division, (Buhari, ValodValodValod is a small town situated midway between Bardoli and Vyara, in Tapi district in the Indian state of Gujarat. Valod is located about 50 km east of Surat. National Highway 6 passes through Valod....
district) - ChapatiChapatiChapati or Chapatti or Chapathi is an unleavened flatbread from the Indian subcontinent. Versions of it are found in Turkmenistan and in East African countries Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania...
Divisions at Wadala, BorivaliBorivaliBorivali or Borivli a suburban area located in the north-west section of Mumbai island. Borivali is approximately from Mumbai Airport and from Churchgate Railway Station...
, Mulund and KandivaliKandivaliKandivali, or Kandivli is the name of a suburb of Mumbai, India. It is also the name of the railway station in Kandivali suburb, on the Western Railway line of the Mumbai suburban railway.- History :... - Polypropylene set-up (Kashi-Mira RoadMira RoadMira Road is one of the suburbs in the city of Mumbai, India. It is located to the north of Mumbai, on the western line of Mumbai Suburban Railway and is governed by the Mira-Bhayandar Municipal Corporation .-Geography:...
) - Vadi factory (Valod)
- Bakery Division (Valod)
- Detergent Powder and Cakes manufacturing unit (DahisarDahisarDahisar is a suburb of Mumbai. It is also the name of a railway station on the Mumbai suburban railway on the Western Railway railway line, situated in Dahisar suburb. Located on the city limits of Mumbai, Dahisar is the last suburb and railway station within the Mumbai Suburban District; past...
) and office (BorivaliBorivaliBorivali or Borivli a suburban area located in the north-west section of Mumbai island. Borivali is approximately from Mumbai Airport and from Churchgate Railway Station...
)
Culture
Lijjat Patrika, the in-house magazineMagazine
Magazines, periodicals, glossies or serials are publications, generally published on a regular schedule, containing a variety of articles. They are generally financed by advertising, by a purchase price, by pre-paid magazine subscriptions, or all three...
, is published and circulated for a nominal rate to those interested in the activities of Lijjat. It is published in many languages, including English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
, Gujarati
Gujarati language
Gujarati is an Indo-Aryan language, and part of the greater Indo-European language family. It is derived from a language called Old Gujarati which is the ancestor language of the modern Gujarati and Rajasthani languages...
, Marathi
Marathi language
Marathi is an Indo-Aryan language spoken by the Marathi people of western and central India. It is the official language of the state of Maharashtra. There are over 68 million fluent speakers worldwide. Marathi has the fourth largest number of native speakers in India and is the fifteenth most...
and Hindi
Hindi
Standard Hindi, or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi, also known as Manak Hindi , High Hindi, Nagari Hindi, and Literary Hindi, is a standardized and sanskritized register of the Hindustani language derived from the Khariboli dialect of Delhi...
. It has emerged as a strong mode of communication for information related to significant events and initiatives at Lijjat, in addition to presenting articles on women.
Member sisters across all branches of Lijjat recite an all-religion prayer before beginning their daily activities. The sisters are free to choose their activities and each activity is given equal importance.
Leaving the organization is voluntary. No member sister can be asked to leave unless or until she goes against the organizational principles. There is no fixed retirement
Retirement
Retirement is the point where a person stops employment completely. A person may also semi-retire by reducing work hours.Many people choose to retire when they are eligible for private or public pension benefits, although some are forced to retire when physical conditions don't allow the person to...
age at Lijjat. Once, when the president Jyoti Naik
Jyoti Naik
Jyoti Naik, is currently the President of Shri Mahila Griha Udyog Lijjat Papad, an Indian women's cooperative based in Mumbai. She has been repeatedly praised for her pioneering spirit by different organizations, including The Economic Times.-Recognition:...
was questioned about this anomaly, she said that there was no need to make provision for a retirement age, as the emphasis obviously was on earning one's bread through daily work, all through one's life.
Because of Lijjat's main motive of generating self-employment for women, no machinery is used at the production level, and everything is done manually. However, computers are now being used in some of the Mumbai branches for accounts and administration.
Role in women empowerment
The growth of the Lijjat is often seen in the larger canvas of women and their empowerment. The organization has undertaken various efforts to promote literacy and computer education for member-sisters and their families. A literacy campaign for sisters began through literacy classes at Girgaum on June 18, 1999. Later, the managing committee decided to start such classes in all its branches. From 1980 onwards, Lijjat started giving Chhaganbapa Smruti Scholarships to the daughters of the member-sisters.The member-sisters used their organization as a medium to promote their and their families' welfare. In the Valod centre they set up an educational and hobby centre for the rural women. Orientation courses in typing, cooking, sewing, knitting and toy making as well as other courses like child welfare, first aid and hygiene were taught. The first ever pucca (tarred) road in Valod to be built and inaugurated in 1979 was with the help of the Lijjat, Valod branch.
In 1979, Lijjat teamed up with UNICEF to organize a seminar in Mumbai on "Child Care and Mother Welfare", as part of the International Year of the Child celebrations. In October 1984, Bhadraben Bhatt represented Lijjat at the UNESCO sponsored international workshop on "The role of women in the assimilation and spread of technological innovation" held at NITIE
NITIE
The National Institute of Industrial Engineering, popularly known as NITIE, is a prestigious business school located in Vihar Lake, Mumbai, India. The institute, which started off as an Industrial Engineering institute, now offers full-time Post Graduate programs in both Industrial Engineering and...
, Powai
Powai
Powai is a suburb situated in the north-east of the city of Mumbai, India. The word Powai comes from Padmavati a Hindu Goddess , whose temple is situated on the banks of Lake Powai...
. Alkaben Kalia represented Lijjat at the national level meeting on women convened by the National Commission on Self Employed Women.
At the behest of Mother Teresa
Mother Teresa
Mother Teresa , born Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu , was a Roman Catholic nun of Albanian ethnicity and Indian citizenship, who founded the Missionaries of Charity in Calcutta, India, in 1950...
, the member-sisters also took part in some activities of Asha Dhan, an institution to care for destitute women.
Lijjat member-sisters also tried to start a co-operative bank, but the effort was not very successful.
Contribution to social service
On several occasions, the Lijjat member-sisters have undertaken social service activities such as distributing nutritious food for poor children, donating money for conducting community marriage, instituting prize-money for spread of primary education, undertaking blood donation drive, organizing health camps, plantation drives and even making donations to Government bodies. In 1999, the Mumbai City felicitated Smt.Rukminiben B.Pawar, Lijjat President, as an outstanding woman in the field of social work.Lijjat undertook the rehabilitation of Chincholi (Jogan), the earthquake affected village in the Latur
LaTur
La Tur was a Mexican airline that operated from 1988 until 1992 when it was taken over by TAESA.-Company history:Set up in 1988 to help develop the tourist market, La Tur began operations using McDonnell Douglas MD-83 aircraft. One year later, the Airbus A300-600 was introduced for flights to Europe...
district of Maharashtra. The institution provided the finance and supervised the work of construction of fifty-eight houses for the people of the village. Member-sisters donated money from their daily vanai (wage). After the 2001 Gujarat earthquake
2001 Gujarat earthquake
The 2001 Gujarat earthquake occurred on January 26, 2001, India's 52nd Republic Day, at 08:46 AM local time and lasted for over two minutes. The epicentre was about 9 km south-southwest of the village of Chobari in Bhachau Taluka of Kutch District of Gujarat, India...
, all the branches of Lijjat gave a total donation of more than Rs 4.8 million, including Rs 1 million from the central office. Lijjat built forty houses for the rehabilitation of the people of Bhujpur (Bhachau
Bhachau
Bhachau is a city and a municipality in Kutch district in the state of Gujarat, India. Bhachau was one of many devastated towns in the Kutch region of the Indian state of Gujarat, during the 2001 Gujarat Earthquake.- Geography :Bhachau is located at...
) in Kutch District
Kutch District
Kutch district is a district of Gujarat state in western India. Covering an area of 45,652 km², it is the largest district of India....
.