Lok Sabha Question No. 818 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-07-20
Subject: Loan to Women Self Help Groups in Rural Areas
Ministry: RURAL DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: GAJANAN CHANDRAKANT KIRTIKAR, BIDYUT BARAN MAHATO, ASHOK SHANKARRAO CHAVAN

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 818

TO BE ANSWERED ON 20 .0 7.2017

## LOAN TO WOMEN SELF HELP GROUPS IN RURAL AREAS

## 818. SHRI GAJANAN KIRTIKAR: SHRI BIDYUT BARAN MAHATO: SHRI ASHOK SHANKARRAO CHAVAN:

W ill the Minister of RURAL DEVELOPMENT be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government proposes to launch a new scheme to provide interest free l women Self Help Groups (SHGs) in rural areas;
- (b) if so, the details along with terms and conditions thereof;
- (c) the time by which it is likely to be launched;
- (d) the number of women likely to be benefited in this regard; and
- (e) thesteps taken/being taken by the Government to generate employment in rural ar the country?

## ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT ( SHRI RAM KRIPAL YADAV )

- ( a) to (c): It  has  been  decided  to  launch  a  new  sub - scheme  underDeendayal Antyodaya Yojana -National  Rural  Livelihoods  Mission  (DAY - NRLM)  which  will  be  named  as 'Aajeevika  Grameen  Express  Yojana  (AGEY)'.    The  main  objectives  of  AGEY  are  (i)  to provide  an  alternative  source  of  livelihoods  to  members  of  Self  Help  Groups (SHGs)  under DAY - NRLM  by  facilitating them to operate public transport services in backward rura and  (ii)  to  provide  safe,  affordable  and  community  monitored  rural  transport  ser -rickshaws, 3 and 4 wheeler motorised transport vehicles) to co nnect remote villages with key services  and  amenities  (including  access  to  markets,  education  and  health)  for  th economic development of the area by making use of the supports available within the fr of DAY - NRLM. The sub- scheme will be impl emented in 250 blocks in the country on a pilot basis for a period of 3 years from 2017 - 18 to 2019 - 20. The States have been informed about the number of blocks allocated to them to take up this sub - scheme in the pilot phases. One of the options proposed to be given under the sub - scheme is that the Community Based Organisation (CBO)  will  provide  interest  free  loan  from  its  own  corpus  to  Self  Help  Group  memb purchase of the vehicle. The detailed guidelines of the scheme are under finalization, ch the scheme will be launched.
- (d): The details regarding number of women likely to be benefitted has not been quant

(e ) : The  Government  is  implementing  DAY -NRLM  across  the  country  in  all  States  and Union  Territories  (except  Delhi  and  Chandiga rh).  Under  DAY - NRLM,  till  date,  34.4  lakh women  SHGs  have  been  promoted  under  the  programme.    The  financial  support  under  t programme is mainly in the form of Revolving Fund and Community Investment Funds, given grants  to  the  Self  Help  Groups  (SHGs)  a nd  their  federations.    These  remain  as  resource perpetuity  with  the  community  based  institutions  for  internal  lending  to  members consumption  requirements  and  livelihoods  investments.    So  far,  the  total  amount  rel SHGs  is  Rs.  1815  crore to  about  3.96  lakh  SHGs.    A  sum  of  Rs.  1088  crore  has  also  be disbursed to 7.28 lakh SHGs as revolving Fund.  DAY - NRLM also focuses on bank linkage of the institutions to enable their income   The cumulative Bank Credit mobilized for wom and thei r federations since inception is to the tune of Rs 1.19 lakh crores.

The programme has a special focus on women empowerment including a dedicated componen for promoting farm and non - farm based livelihoods for women farmers in rural areas. About lakhwomen farmers have benefited under this programme.  In addition, start up enterp village levels  are also supported to promote entrepreneurial  activities in those ar have  been  sanctioned  for  setting  up  79,814  enterprises  in  5209  villag es  in  17  states  in  the country.

Deendayal  Upadhayaya  Grameen  Kaushalya  Yojana  (DDU - GKY)  is  a  placement  linked  skill development programme for the rural poor youth. Training under this scheme enables a y seek wage employment. During the financial ye ar 2016 - 17, a total of 1,62,586 candidates have been skilled and 84,900 placed.  Another component is skill development through Rur Employment and Training Institutes (RSETI) which enables a trainee to seek self empl with bank credit. A total of 4,45,106 candidates have been trained and 3,63,111 settled i financial year 2016 - 17.

In addition, Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employee Act (MGNREGA) is implemented by the Department of Rural Development.  MGNREGA aims at enhancing livelihood security households in rural areas of the country by providing atleast one hundred days of g ranteed wage employment in a financial year to every household whose adult members volunteer unskilled manual work.  The scheme supplements the income of a rural household and it intended to be the sole means of earning livelihood for the rura l households.

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