Bettiah: In an initiative aimed at fostering economic independence among rural women, the Forest Department has conducted a five-day incense stick-making workshop at the Skill Development Centre in Kotrahan. The training, which benefited 42 women, was organised in collaboration with local Eco Development Committees (EDCs), including support from Vinay Mahato (President, Lakshmipur EDC), Sunil Kumar Pandey (President, Rampurwa EDC), and Tokesh Kumar (President, Thadhi EDC).
The sessions were led by trainers Sanjana Kumari, Devmani Kumari, and Dayanand Mahato, who provided hands-on guidance in incense stick production — a skill seen as both accessible and income-generating. Ranger Srinivasan Naveen, representing the Forest Department, said the programme forms part of a broader effort to make women more self-reliant through skill-based training. “By equipping them with this craft, we are not just offering a livelihood — we are supporting long-term empowerment,” he said. Officials hope that such locally rooted initiatives will help build sustainable income streams for women while promoting small-scale entrepreneurship within forest-adjacent communities.
