Kanpur women weave 3 lakh Tricolours, power 'Har Ghar Tiranga' 2025
Synopsis
In Kanpur Dehat, 360 women from 96 self-help groups are stitching together two things at once — 3 lakh national flags for Independence Day and a grassroots economic model that puts profit directly in their hands. At ₹6 earned per flag, this is the 'Har Ghar Tiranga' campaign doing double duty as a rural livelihood programme.
Key Takeaways
360 women from 96 self-help groups in Kanpur Dehat are producing an estimated 3 lakh Tricolours ahead of Independence Day 2025 .
Each flag measures 30 x 20 inches and is priced at ₹20 , with a profit of approximately ₹6 per flag going directly to the SHGs.
The initiative is run under the National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM) and targets employment for poor, widowed, and differently-abled women.
Last year, the same network produced a 200-metre-long Tricolour , demonstrating prior scale and capability.
Flags will be displayed at schools, government offices, and government buildings across the district.
360 women from 96 self-help groups (SHGs) in Kanpur Dehat, affiliated with the National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM), are working round the clock to produce an estimated 3 lakh Tricolours ahead of Independence Day, giving fresh momentum to the 'Har Ghar Tiranga' campaign across the district and surrounding areas.
Scale of the Operation
Each flag being produced measures 30 inches in length and 20 inches in width, with the price capped at ₹20 per flag. According to NRLM officials, the district was assigned a target of producing 3 lakh flags — a figure the SHG network is on track to meet. The Tricolours will be displayed at schools, government offices, and all government buildings across the district.
Empowerment Beyond the Loom
The initiative has created dignified employment for poor, widowed, differently-abled, and less-educated women in villages across the region. Pratima Singh, President of the Umang Self-Help Group, said the department's core objective is financial empowerment. 'Women once confined to the four walls of their homes are now coming out in large numbers and carving out their own identity through their skills. By joining self-help groups, they are earning a good monthly income while also fulfilling their family responsibilities,' she said.
Many women workers credited the initiative by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath with providing them dignified work, a fixed income, and a boost to their self-confidence.
Track Record and Profit Model
This is not the first time these SHGs have demonstrated their craftsmanship for the national campaign. Last year, the same network of women created a 200-metre-long Tricolour, drawing widespread attention. Officials noted that a profit of approximately ₹6 per flag was realised from flags produced last year. Under the model, the SHGs bear the production cost, and all profits flow directly back to them — reinforcing the self-reliance framework.
Official Assessment
Ashok Kumar, Deputy Commissioner of the NRLM, said the women of Kanpur Dehat are doing more than producing flags. 'Through the Har Ghar Tiranga initiative, they are scripting a new story of self-reliance, dignity and empowerment,' he said. The campaign underscores how a patriotic exercise can simultaneously serve as a livelihood programme — a convergence that officials say is central to the NRLM's grassroots model.
With Independence Day approaching, the Kanpur Dehat SHG network stands as one of the more tangible examples of the campaign translating into measurable economic benefit at the village level.
Point of View
Targets met. What the SHG model here demonstrates is something structurally different: a patriotic mandate being used as a vehicle for rural women's economic inclusion, with profits flowing back to producers rather than intermediaries. The ₹6-per-flag margin is modest, but at 3 lakh units it aggregates into meaningful village-level income. The question mainstream coverage rarely asks is whether this model scales beyond the Independence Day window — or whether it remains a seasonal exercise that flatters the campaign's optics without building durable livelihoods.
NationPress
7 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the 'Har Ghar Tiranga' campaign and how are Kanpur women involved?
'Har Ghar Tiranga' is a government campaign encouraging every household to display the national flag around Independence Day. In Kanpur Dehat, 360 women from 96 NRLM-affiliated self-help groups are producing 3 lakh Tricolours to supply schools and government buildings across the district.
How much do the women earn from making the flags?
Each flag is priced at ₹20, with a profit of approximately ₹6 per flag going directly to the self-help groups after production costs. The SHGs bear the production cost themselves, and all profits are retained by them.
Who is running this flag-making initiative in Kanpur Dehat?
The initiative is coordinated by the National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM). Ashok Kumar, Deputy Commissioner of the NRLM, oversees the programme, which targets economically marginalised women including widows and differently-abled individuals.
Have these self-help groups participated in the Tiranga campaign before?
Yes. The same network of women demonstrated their capability last year by creating a 200-metre-long Tricolour, and also earned a profit of approximately ₹6 per flag from that year's production run.
Where will the flags produced by Kanpur Dehat women be displayed?
According to NRLM officials, the Tricolours will be displayed at schools, government offices, and all government buildings across Kanpur Dehat district as part of the Independence Day celebrations.
