Bhopal: Madhya Pradesh is moving fast in the direction of women empowerment. Self-employment opportunities are also being provided to women in urban and rural areas by connecting them with economic activities through the policies, programmes and schemes of the state government. All possible support is being given to a large number of women self-help groups, especially through the Livelihood Mission. Chief Minister Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan said that women are playing an important role in social and economic empowerment through the activities of groups. The hard work and passion of women for self-employment will go a long way in fulfilling the resolve of Atmanirbhar Madhya Pradesh.
3 lakh 33 thousand SHGs formed in Livelihood Mission
It may be noted that about 38 lakh women have been connected by forming about 3 lakh 33 thousand self-help groups in about 45 thousand villages of the state. Ample funds have been arranged for the women associated with the self-help groups formed under the mission. All the remaining families in the eligible families to join the groups will be linked to the self-help groups in the next three years.
Arranging capital for economic activities
Chief Minister Shri Chouhan has accorded top priority to the work of providing bank loans to self-help groups at affordable rates through a simple process. In order to further strengthen the livelihood activities in rural areas, there has been a substantial increase in the bank loan amount as compared to previous years. The state government has increased this from Rs 300 crore to Rs 1300 crore and this year the government has set a target of Rs 2550 crore to be provided as bank loan to self-help groups. Decision has been taken to give interest subsidy on the loan amount by the government, which has reduced the burden of interest and has made loan repayment easier.
In order to improve the economic condition of the poor section,, interest free loans up to Rs. 10 thousand are being made available under Mukhya Mantri Gramin Path Vikreta Yojana. After receiving amount, the activities of the groups have increased further.
MP Aajeevika Mart Portal
Chief Minister Shri Chouhan says that the state’s livelihood products have also been linked with digital platforms to connect them with large markets in public and private sectors on a large scale so that goods can be bought and sold directly at reasonable prices, which will give maximum benefits to the group members. It is the state government’s endeavour to ensure that there is no middleman between the self-help groups and the market.
For this, the state government has created the MP Aajeevika Mart portal. This portal is a very accessible medium for sale and purchase of items being made by the groups. Efforts are being made to make this system all-pervasive soon, so that the business of SHG women can be promoted.
The women of the groups can register their products on the portal. They can enter their names, address and phone numbers, so that buyers can contact them and buy products directly from them. In this process the women of the group are sure to get more profits. Business worth crores of rupees has been done through the portal in many districts. Efforts are being made at a rapid pace in the remaining districts as well.
Self employment opportunities
Chief Minister Shri Chouhan has said that the state government stands with the women of the self-help groups at every step to strengthen them. Efforts are made to give group members not one but many opportunities to start work. Several works are being given to the groups by the state government. The groups have already been linked to purchase agricultural produce at support price. Now it is also being linked to the operation of fair price shops and manufacturing of nutritional food. In this sequence, the work of sewing school uniforms has been given to the groups. The group members did a good job last year. This time again, SHG women have been given the task of stitching school uniforms. Self-help portal has been created to maintain transparency in work and simplify the process, with the help of which this work has become even easier.
Buy essential items for business on your own
Chief Minister Shri Chouhan says that the women of the group will become stronger only when they buy necessary things for themselves and the group independently. Therefore, buy any material yourself by surveying in the market. Sell manufactured goods at reasonable prices. Do not involve any middleman in the process of buying and selling. Women should do this work only with mutual coordination and consultation and keep accounts and transaction clear.
Chief Minister Shri Chouhan believes that the enthusiasm and pace with which the women of the group are defeating poverty and moving fast towards prosperity, the making of an Atmanirbhar Madhya Pradesh is not far.
Insurance of SHG women
The state government has started a campaign to get the women of the self-help groups insured. It is the effort of the government that all women should be insured, so that the family can get some amount of help in difficult times in case of untimely death. For this, the benefit of this scheme can be availed by depositing premium in Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima and Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Suraksha Bima Yojana. Insurance is being done easily through banks. It is a matter of joy that a large number of women of the groups have been insured.
New dimensions in the field of social empowerment
Along with economic empowerment, women of the group have also established new dimensions in the field of social empowerment. Commendable efforts are being made by these SHG women in rural areas for change in social behavior on serious topics like drug de-addiction, prevention of child marriage, cleanliness, nutrition and environmental protection.
During the Covid-19 global pandemic, the women of the group have done a good job of converting disaster into opportunity by manufacturing material for prevention of Corona infection. Since the lockdown, about 2 crore masks, 1.5 lakh PPE kits, 1.60 lakh liters of sanitizers, 33 thousand liters of hand wash and more than 8 lakh soaps have been manufactured.
Good work has been done by the women of the group for Covid-19 vaccination, cooking food for flood victims and adopting organic farming practices.
Women become capable of monitoring and implementing schemes
It is a matter of great pride that the women of the group are also cooperating in the implementation of community development plans at the gram panchayat level. Women are doing the work of distribution, collection of electricity bills and depositing the pending electricity bills for a long time.
Women of SHG’s operating oxygen plants
In Sheopur district of the state, the operation of oxygen plant is also being done by women self-help groups. Seeing the enthusiasm and potential of the women, the state government has decided to entrust many more works to women’s groups. The work of running tap-water schemes in the village is being given to these groups. In some districts, groups have shown successful operation of tap-water schemes.
Women’s groups to take over the operation of nutritional food plants
It has been decided that the operation of all seven THR plants of the state will be entrusted to women’s groups. With this decision of the government, lakhs of group members of the state will be benefited by the profit earned from the sale and preparation of nutritious food in the state.
THR plants have been set up at Dewas, Dhar, Hoshangabad, Mandla, Sagar, Rewa and Shivpuri in the state. At present, nutritional food worth Rs 50-60 crore is prepared from these plants per month. Out of the dividend received from the operation of the plants, 5 percent will be used for the maintenance of the plants, while the remaining 95 percent dividend will go to the self-help groups.
