Ferozepur, August 4:
With the objective of encouraging youth and rural women towards self-employment and entrepreneurship, the Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) – Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK), Ferozepur organized a five-day vocational training camp on the manufacturing of soap and household cleaning products. The training programme was conducted under the guidance of Dr. Gurmel Singh Sandhu, Deputy Director, KVK Ferozepur.
Addressing the participants, Dr. Sandhu said that small-scale home-based industries have the potential to become a reliable source of income for young people and rural women. He noted that the demand for soaps and cleaning products remains constant in every household, making them an ideal business that can be started with minimal investment while generating sustainable earnings. He encouraged participants to produce high-quality products, adopt self-employment, and work towards becoming self-reliant.
Dr. Divya Jain, Assistant Professor (Home Science), provided practical training on the preparation of herbal soap, traditional soap, handwash, dishwashing liquid, liquid laundry detergent, phenyl, and other household cleaning products. She also shared detailed information on selecting raw materials, maintaining product quality, packaging, labeling, pricing, and effective marketing strategies.
During the programme, Mr. Sawandeep Sharma, Project Director, ATMA Ferozepur, delivered a lecture on company registration, trademarks, brand registration, licensing, and other legal procedures related to starting a business. He encouraged participants to establish successful enterprises through strong branding and effective marketing of their products.
The training also featured expert sessions by Dr. Harpreet Singh (Preet Arogya Brand) and Mr. Muhammad Dilshad (Sultan Bee Farm Brand). They shared their practical experience in producing Ayurvedic, herbal, and handmade soaps, highlighting the use of natural ingredients, quality control, packaging, branding, and marketing techniques.
At the conclusion of the programme, participants were encouraged to form Self-Help Groups (SHGs) and take advantage of various government schemes to establish small-scale enterprises.
The trainees showed keen interest in the hands-on sessions on soap and cleaning product manufacturing and expressed their willingness to adopt the skills as a viable means of increasing income and creating self-employment opportunities.