Empowering Sellers | Umeed Rural Mart Shopian Changing NRLM Beneficiares’ Lives Thru Market Platform Last year we opened Umeed Rural Mart Shopian. The household products in Shopian got a platform through NRLM in cooperation with NABARD. They gave us a platform to bring our products in the market and buy and sell them through this platform. Our sisters who make Kashmiri Red Chillies, Kashmiri matar, Kashmiri walnuts, Kashmiri rajmah were not getting a good value for their products from the buyers. The middlemen used to offer rates which did not benefit us. We were helpless as we did not know how to market them. After we got associated with NRLM they provided us a platform and we were told to select our own price. They gave us a market to sell which has benefitted us a lot. They gave us a shop. Our products go to Srinagar airport through NRLM. On Boulevard Road near Dal Lake, NRLM has given us a few shops where we sell a few of our products. Through this income we can earn our livelihood and afford to take care of our family. After joining NRLM our income has increased because it has provided us a good platform to sell our products.