Kurnool: For empowering the rural and urban women on all fronts, the Government of Andhra Pradesh has prestigiously introduced the SHGs (Self Help Groups) system.
Kurnool district is tremendously achieving the targets, with 1,57,738 females in 16,291 groups under nine municipalities are advancing with self-employment. From manufacturing dish wash to leather bags and from pickles to eatables, the groups are earning good income.
Four main activities are being implemented under MEPMA for strengthening the SHGs, bank linkage, social security, health and nutrition and livelihood activities, Mepma project director N. Ramanjaneyulu told Deccan Chronicle.
A sum of Rs 3 lakh to Rs 5 lakh will be released to the group, depending upon the duration. Eve-ry newly formed group (10-12 members/group) has to open two accounts, loan account and savings bank account. Initially a sum of Rs 75,000 will be released.
Insurance coverage is also facilitated, for accidental death Rs 75,000 will be allotted to the deceased family, Mr Ramanjaneyulu said. Till last year, a sum of Rs 1.09 crore has been released and this year Rs 5.60 crore was released to the Self Help Groups till July this year, he added.
Janasree Bhima Yojana and Abhaya Hastam are the two main schemes under social security. If a person pays Rs 125 per month, scholarships would be paid to their children, studying in Class IX, X and Intermediate (2 years) students to the tune of Rs 1,200 a month.
A SHG member, Ms Dhanalakshmi, a pickle manufacturer, explaining about her success to Deccan Chronicle, said "I had started with a very less amount in the beginning. Gradually I am now running a mobile van and also planned to extend further. At present I am earning Rs 3,000 to Rs 4,000 on pickles manufacturing per day."
One Satya Veda Group manufacturing door mats and floor mats benefits Rs 5 lakh to Rs 6 lakh per annum. Besides this, another group which manufactures leather bags and dish wash powders are also earning handsome income.
Women entrepreneurs can play a vital role in social and economic development of the country. Facing many obstacles specifically in finance and marketing of their produce, micro finance is playing a vital role in the success of SHGs, particularly the entry of rural women in micro enterprises will encouraged and aggravated.
