“I
have bought my husband a bicycle from my earnings. I also pitched in
financially for my son’s wedding,” said Chandra Kumari proudly.
Chandra Kumari, a resident of Mujasa village
in Lucknow’s Malihabad block, is one of the several thousands of women who earn
their own livelihood after joining self-help groups (SHG). She is the secretary
of Laxmi Swayam Sahayata Samuh. This group has a total of 10 members who are all
woman farmers and do nursery business.
Chandra Kumari said: “Laxmi Swayam Sahayata Group was
established in 2014. We were already doing nursery business prior to that
although our formal training in the field began only after the formation of the
group. Equipped with the training, we embarked on the scientific functioning of
the nursery. Previously, I operated a nursery in one bigha of land while
currently, it is in three bighas. The plants that I have grown in my nursery can
easily fetch me Rs 8-10 lakh. Before the group association, I could generate
only up to Rs 50,000.”
Lucknow’s Malihabad is best-known for
its mangoes. Several varieties of mangoes are available here. Due to this,
farmers in the region do nursery farming. Mujasa village has about six self-help
groups of women doing nursery farming. They all grow fruit-bearing trees, like
mango, lime and guava, and sell them.
However, Laxmi Swayam Sahayata Group’s women complain that despite their
plants being ready there aren’t many major buyers purchasing in bulk. They
retail their plants and mostly earn well but sometimes have to sell at the input
cost and be satisfied.
Answering the question to what they stand
to lose they say they don’t lose any sum. It is just that bigger volume of sale
would translate into better profits and bigger income to ease the cash flow.
They informed that recently under MNREGA, their plants had been sent to Bakshi
ka Talab block, it would have been better if more such orders were given.
Many women are earning their own livelihood after joining self-help groups.
Meena Kumari, another member of Laxmi Swayam Sahayata Group, informed: “The
biggest benefit of the group is that whenever we need money we can take it from
the group at an interest of 2%. We create the funds from our savings and upon
requirement raise it in group assembly and get the money. We return the money
well in time.” Women of the self-help groups maintain compulsory monthly or
periodic savings with the group.
She added, “Doing nursery business has
given us a unique identity among the villagers. People refer to us as businesswomen which we like. We help run our household by contributing to our incomes
and thus receive respect. All members of my group are now self-dependent.
Dependent upon our families before the group formation, we now are able to earn
on our own.”
Under the National Rural Livelihood
Mission (NRLM) about 56,34000 self-help groups are operating across 691
districts in the country. Out of these, about 2,99000 operate within Uttar Pradesh.
Malihabadblock has 282 self-help groups. Women associated with these groups may
take up varied activities for their livelihood.
Malihabad’s Assistant Development
Officer Mallik Masood Akhtar asserted: “Laxmi
SahayataSamuh is an extraordinary group. It has worked exceptionally well.
Chandra Kumari has about 50,000 mango trees. We have sent many of her trees to
Bakshi ka Talab under MNREGA. We are also trying further to send her trees to
more such places. Besides they have open markets to sell their trees.”
With the help of self-help groups women grow fruit-bearing trees, like mango, lime and guava, and sell them.
How groups may be formed?
He informed, “Those women who feature
in the Below poverty line (BPL) List may together form the self-help group.
Thereafter they should adhere to the group’s regulations—name their group,
arrange its meetings and discuss the amount to be saved. The group so formed
would be put on the MIS then by the block-office.”
“If the group works well consistently
for three months—weekly meeting, weekly savings, mutual exchange, timely
repayment of loans, proper records of meetings—the state government would grant
an additional Rs1,500 to the group’s saving account besides providing credit
linkage worth a lakh rupees. This sum can be utilized by the women to start
different jobs.”
He added:”Six months thereafter, the
group is given a CIF Fund of Rs 1,10,000 as the group’s money. The group
members can draw loans out of this fund at the interest of 2%. Members may draw
money for their businesses and return it on time. In this way, financial help
is extended to the members so they may opt for various means of livelihood.”
Also Read: These women are now free from the vicious circle of loan & money lenders
Also Read: Why do these women in Jharkhand put their lives at stake?
Also Read: Bamboo Brooms are helping these women make money
Watch Also:
