Reducing Cloth Wrinkles_ An endeavour for istriwalas

1. Reducing Cloth Wrinkles: An Endeavour For Istriwalas Rajanna, a recent convert from the old coal-powered iron boxes, claims that LPG boxes are far more efficient than those that run on coal. There are several advantages to the use of LPG-powered iron boxes by "istri vyaaparis," or self-employed ironers, in the eighteen isolated villages around Rajanukunte in the Bengaluru Rural district.

2. Rajanna, a recent convert from the old coal-powered iron boxes, claims that LPG boxes are far more efficient than those that run on coal. We save a lot of time, which boosts our income and reduces health risks, according to Rajanna. I discovered on my visit to Rajanukunte that Rajanna is one of the thirty or so local business owners who just converted to gas powered boxes. With the assistance of the non-governmental organisation People's Trust, the Udhyam Learning Foundation's Istri programme has been able to reach these recipients. The Istri Project is the focal point of Udhyam's programmes. "There were very few beneficiaries in Bengaluru when we launched the Istri initiative in 2019." Since then, mostly in the city and in Chennai, we have worked with almost 5,000 businesses. In the near future, we intend to expand to other big cities," says Krishnan Ranganathan, director of Udhyam Vyaapar and co-founder of the Udhyam Learning Foundation. According to Krishnan, there are several benefits to using LPG boxes as opposed to coal-based ones. In addition to raising revenue turnover, it also improves the quality of life for business owners. They could now take breaks and return to the business without having to wait for the iron box to heat up, which used to make them reluctant to leave," he says. Because the changeover has lessened the istriwalas' exposure to coal, it has also improved their health. "Whenever we iron cotton clothes, we must sprinkle water," says Radhamma, a recipient from Bettenahalli near Rajanukunte, who also believes it's a safer alternative for those who were using electric iron boxes. Still, if we employ current-based enclosures, we could get electric shocks. Furthermore, she says, it is more dependable when there are blackouts. When there wasn't any current before, we were left unemployed. Hence, I like the LPG boxes more." Radhamma's LPG box stopped working correctly, though, which caused her difficulty. "It is now operating properly after we gave it a service. It will be much better if such problems do not arise "says the woman. Significant alteration An experiment carried out by the NGO in association with Azim Premji University demonstrated how the project affected the entrepreneurs' financial independence. Author Kedar Kulkarni, an assistant professor at APU, looked at the istriwalas' enterprises in Chennai in his paper "Istri- Pressing for change." The results of this comparison study showed that LPG box users had an average daily productivity boost of 23.3%, equivalent to ironing 29 additional clothing each day. Moreover, the daily revenue increased by 23.6%. The Bengaluru Rural entrepreneurs who have converted to LPG-powered istri boxes. With the LPG boxes, these merchants, who typically make between Rs 15,000 and Rs 17,000 a month, have seen an extra boost of about Rs 4,000. In spite of the fact that an LPG box typically costs between Rs 6,000 and Rs 8,000, the project allowed about 1,300 recipients to receive it for half as much. Additionally switching to LPG is Narasimaiah, an istriwala from Margondanahalli. His electric iron box and the new machine are his constant companions, though. "As I haven't noticed any appreciable cost differences, I typically use electric iron boxes." Nonetheless, I immediately switch to the LPG box if there is a power outage," he adds. The community has also gotten engaged, realising the program's beneficial effects. The Rajanukunte gram panchayat and locals have donated money, allowing us to subsidise the

3. iron boxes at Rs 2,000, even though Udhyam sells them for about Rs 6,000. This information is provided by M Ramaswamy of the People's Trust. Productors and retailers are now more aware of LPG boxes than they were in the past, according to Ranganathan, because of word-of-mouth. Retailer Deepak, who also makes coal boxes and is situated in Bengaluru, said that throughout the past two to three years, he has seen a consistent increase in demand for LPG boxes. According to him, since March 2023, Chennai-based vendors have sold about 600 boxes. Overall, more convenience, efficiency, and sustainability have been introduced to various istri vyaaparis by the novel method of powering iron boxes. Istri Project Transforms Ironing Industry, Boosts Vendor Revenue by 25% More than 5,300 ironing vendors in Bengaluru and Chennai have successfully switched from coal to LPG iron boxes as part of the ground-breaking Istri Project, led by the Udhyam Foundation, which is situated in Bengaluru. The end outcome? an impressive 25% rise in sales on average. Igniting Entrepreneurial Spirit The Udhyam Foundation was established in 2017 with the goal of addressing India's unemployment problem by Mekin Maheshwari, a former Chief People Officer of Flipkart, and Krishnan Ranganathan. Developing an entrepreneurial attitude among young people and nano entrepreneurs was the main objective. From this idea, the Istri Project was born, initially launching as a small pilot in Bengaluru. Overcoming Covid-19 Setbacks The Covid-19 epidemic caused a brief halt to the project's progress, but in the second half of 2021, it picked up steam and expanded the istri project dramatically. Due to increased efficiency, the switch to LPG iron boxes increased revenue for vendors while simultaneously lowering costs and having a smaller negative impact on the environment. Challenges and Triumphs But there were difficulties along the way. The creation of a supply chain for LPG istri boxes and maintenance components, market awareness, and early vendor scepticism all presented formidable obstacles. A subsidy programme was implemented to offset them, covering 50% of the product cost via Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) activities. This reduced the cost to suppliers and encouraged the conversion to LPG boxes. In an effort to inform suppliers of the advantages of this change, Udhyam Learning Foundation also made a concerted effort. The initiative led the way in market change by partnering with retailers in addition to providers. These collaborations made sure that LPG boxes were always full and accessible, and that suppliers received regular maintenance training, guaranteeing a smooth transition and long-term viability.