Updated : 22.08.2008

ORGANISING THE POOR INTO SELF-HELP GROUPS (SHGS):

             Under Indira Kranthi Patham (IKP) Project, 80.0 lakh rural poor are organized into 6.4 lakh Self-Help Groups (SHGs). The SHGs are in turn federated into 27,358 Village Organizations (VOs) at village level/habitation level. In each VO there are 15 – 25 SHGs

             The IKP has built the capacities of SHGs and VOs by way of trainings. The project fund is given as grant to the Mandal Samakhyas (MSs) which are the federations of VOs in each Mandal. Out of this fund which is called ‘Community Investment Fund’ (CIF), the MS will sanction loan to SHGs through the respective VOs. The fund is a grant to the MS but loan to the VOs and SHGs

             With the support of the CIF and Bank linkage loans the SHGs have taken up several income generating activities for enhancing the livelihoods of their member families. The VOs also have taken up the following collective activities to benefit the poor within the SHGs. The important activities, among others, taken up by the VO include: 

• Food Security
• Marketing
• Non-Pesticidal Management

 FOOD SECURITY:

            The objective of the food security taken up by the VO is to ensure the poor family 30 days food for every month in advance. This includes access to the rice taken from the Fair Price Shop under Public Distribution System.

• The VO will ensure all members of the SHGs which are having white ration cards are enabled to take rice from FP Shop every month by providing credit, if needed to members through the respective SHGs.

The rice issued under PDS will be sufficient for 10 days to a poor family. For 20 days requirement, the family generally purchases the rice from open market.

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