The women ensure MSP to farmers, help state procure the produced grains
File photo of a woman SHG member checking out the quality of paddy procured in Karimnagar. – DC
KARIMNAGAR: Swasakhti groups, also known as self-help groups, are set to procure paddy produce this kharif season through Indira Kranthi Patham (IKP) centres. The groups have been playing a crucial role in buying paddy through IKP centers since 2006. Since the introduction of SHGs into the buying process, farmers have been getting hassle-free minimum support price (MSP) to their produce at their doorstep.
The district has 55, 330 SHGs, comprising 6,50,396 members. They procure around 50 per cent of paddy in any agriculture season. Significantly, they won first prize for seven times for their performance in united Andhra Pradesh. Paddy crop was sown in 1,61,394 hectares in Karimnagar district in the ongoing kharif season. An yield of about 10 lakh metric tonne is expected. About 4.75 lakh metric tonne of paddy will be purchased by the government, with the help of these groups.
Currently, 301 IKP centres are operating in Karimnagar district. Each centre can cover five villages. In order to procure paddy, purchasing committees are formed. Each committee comprises five women members of one Swasakthi group in a village. The members share tasks such as identification of farmers, quality check of paddy, issing gunny bags and weighing of produce, transportation of purchased paddy and overall monitoring.
The committees get 2.5 per cent as commission on each quintal of paddy purchased. The groups did a business worth Rs2,700 crore and had earned Rs57 crore as commission from2006 to 2014. The commission is used for internal lending among the groups.
“The system had opened up new avenues for women to prove their efficiency,” said K. Ramadevi, an SHG member from Dandepalli in Elkathurthi mandal.“Without investing a single penny, we can undertake business worth many crores. We act as a bridge between farmers and the government. We help farmers get MSP for their produce and the government in the procuring process,” said Manda Anita, a member of a Swasakthi group in Odela.
( Source : dc correspondent )
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