Advantages of being administered under the Tibetan Settlment Office:
1) They do not have to pay rent for the unit. The recycle paper unit is spacious with different sections for cutting machine, chopping machine, paper making, book binding and office. If they find a new place for the unit, the expenditure goes up.
2) Artisans in the recycled paper unit can easily avail recommendation letter with the help of the Manager of the unit to admit their children to Tibetan Village School. But the admission process entirely lies with the School administration.
3) They also get opportunity for an audience with His Holiness the Dalai Lama.
4) The location of the green shop and recycled paper unit is very favorable and easily attracts foreigners.
Artisans working in the recycled paper unit
Appointing a separate Accountant:
1) At present, the Tibetan Settlement office has one Accountant who works with three different sections such as Tibetan Settlement Office, Environment Section and The Recycled paper unit. The Manager of the paper unit is thinking of appointing a separate accountant for the paper unit so as to maintain a separate bank account in order to know the correct figures of the transactions.
2) The Manager also wishes to know precisely the income and expenditure of the unit. Even though the transaction records are maintained in the tally software (an Accounting tool); there is only one bank account. The Manager, as a result, finds it very difficult to know the proper income of the paper unit.
3) Source of Income for the paper unit:-
a) Car Parking,
b) Gym, and
c) the Green Shop.
Artisans working on the price tag
Future Plans:
1) He discussed this issue with the Settlement office to start a branch in Dharamsala near the main temple where they have the parking area.
2) The Manager is also planning to sell T-shirts with different prints on it.
3) He is also planning to increase the price of the products. He might ask his friend working in the audit department to help him in product costing.
4) He is also planning to make new designs.
5) There is a group in Manali making and selling toys made from yarn. He will try to buy and sell thei products too.
Artisan sticking the price tag
The Donation Box:
1) They have kept a donation box in the Paper unit out of which 40% is distributed to the artisans during the Tibetan New Year and the rest is kept for office use. It comes to INR 1000-1200 for each artisans.
Wednesday Guide Tour:
1) The Recycled paper unit also organize a guide tour every Wednesday for individuals and groups. And the Manager is incharge of guiding the group.
2) The Manager feels that he can explain elaborately the process involved in making a paper than the volunteers working in the Tibetan Settlement or any other person.
Profit for the year 2009:
1) According to the audit report, the profice for the paper unit is One Hundred thousand but the Manager feels that the Recycle paper factory is earning more than what’s been officially reported.
The Manager views of his artisans:
1) They are hard working and very efficient.
2) Whenever the manager introduces new design in products, the artisans finishes them in a week. It’s challenging to introduce new designs every week.
Salary for the artisans:
1) The salary for the artisans was increased to INR 600.
Best and most suitable months for making paper:
1) May to July
2) End September to December
3) Because of the monsoon, humidity and harsh winter, they do not make papers in August, Jan, Feb, March and April. In order to keep the production going, they buy recycle paper from Delhi.
Renovation of the Green Shop:
1) Due to the humidity and monsoon season, the paper factory proposed an application for renovation. But fortunately he bought a second hand shelf from one of his friends for about 13,000 INR which was made of glass and wood.
2) They have kept a separate room for the filter water(meant for sale) instead of keeping them inside the Green Shop.
A Tibetan Volunteer:
1) Tennam, one of the Manager’s friends is a volunteer in the office working on photoshops.
Buyers:
1) IM Sweden
2) Groups(foreigners) also buys product during the guide tour.
Displaying their products at Dilli Haat: (Dilli Haat is a combination food plaza and craft bazaar located in the heart of Delhi)
1) During his recent visit, Mr. Pankaj suggested that it will be good idea to display some of the products in Dilli haat. But the Manager thinks it’s bit expensive besides a reliable person is needed to look after the shop.
Design:
1) Their Products: Books, Albums, Lamp, Jewellery Box, Writing pad etc.
2) The Manager wishes to learn different techniques of using the recycled paper.
3) He also looks at website where they make different products using recycled paper.
4) He is also planning to send one or two artisans for training.
5) They have made use of rubber band instead of thread on notebooks’ cover.
6) They are recylcing the unused paper for making threads to be used as a handle for carry bag.
A helping hand:
1) The Recycled paper unit provided free training to one of the staff working in a school for differently abled children.
No comments:
Post a Comment