SHGs in MP: Towards a New Journey

SHGs in MP

India News, Bhopal :

SHGs in MP : A little time after India went into nationwide lockdown to tackle coronavirus, Self- help Groups in Madhya Pradesh used their vast network to ward off chaos and confusion, providing critical support to the government. They were involved in spearheading the word of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ‘Break the Chain’ and ‘social distancing campaign’ by raising awareness through meetings, distributing leaflets and phone messages.

The resilient women of Madhya Pradesh, most of whom had no chance to step out from their homes, tapped their massive network in spreading Covid-related messages among hard-to-reach constituents. Their role as the gateway for providing last mile delivery services in rural areas of Madhya Pradesh, with ears to the ground, assisted the district administration to tide the crisis proactively.

It was this proactiveness combined with the entrepreneurial zeal of SHGs that resulted in the production of 1,42,710 masks and 15,574 litres of sanitizer and hand wash items in the state, only a few days after the country went on a lockdown.

It is a fitting tribute to Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya’s ideal of ‘Antyodaya.’ It also honors the relentless efforts undertaken by the SHG members to help Madhya Pradesh become one of the five states to successfully set-up hundreds and thousands of kitchens/Didi’s cafes to serve needy people during the lockdown. This kitchen network in every Gram Panchayat, with the support of local authorities, provided meals to thousands of underprivileged individuals.

With the Union Government deciding to roll-out Covid-19 vaccination across the country, the Government of Madhya Pradesh reposed its faith in SHGs. They connected with 37 lakh Aajeevika mission members from 44,000 villages of the state. The successful response to this Janbhagidari model was one of the crucial factors in administering 10 crore + Covid doses. It also helped to deeper penetration of vaccines in Madhya Pradesh, within a short period, through awareness campaigns to reduce vaccine hesitancy and enlist its benefits.

This empowering women movement that started as a leap of faith by Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has proved to be a helpful resource in these tough times. The initiative to increase assistance limit to women self-help groups through banks from Rs 300 crore to Rs 2100 crore with low-interest rates and other incentives, helped several rural women to get rid of the debt trap of huge interest, which they had to pay moneylenders.

This was in line with his ideals of strengthening rural women financially through self-help groups. This helped a number of families move rapidly towards self-reliance by freeing their land and ornaments from mortgage.

Because of these efforts, the vast network of 3.50 lakh SHGs connected with over 40 lakh families across the State has become economically more empowered. It is they who form the crucial log towards realizing Chief Minister Shivraj Chouhan’s vision for Atmanirbhar MP 2023, in rural areas.

SHGs in MP

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