Lok Sabha Question No. 2734 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-08-02
Subject: Farm Clinics
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: RAMESH CHANDER KAUSHIK

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, COOPERATION AND FARMERS WELFARE

## LOK  SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.2735

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE  2 ND  AUGUST, 2016

## SELF-HELP GROUPS IN AGRICULTURE SECTOR

## 2735. SHRI RATTAN LAL KATARIA:

## Will the Minister of AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE   ‡ãðŠãäÓã एवं कसान कयाण ½ãâ¨ããè

be pleased to state:

- (a) the details of Self-Help Groups (SHGs) working in the country for providing credit linkages in the agricultural sector;
- (b) whether  the  Government  has  initiated  several  strategies  to  improve  SHGs socially and economically and if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether  these  SHGs  are  playing  a  key  role  in  the  agriculture  sector  and  are recognised as a tool for women empowerment and if so, the details thereof; and
- (d) whether the Government has taken any initiative to involve the SHGs in the farm marketing activities to meet the new standards set by globalisation and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF  STATE IN THE  MINISTRY OF  AGRICULTURE AND  FARMERS  WELFARE

‡ãðŠãäÓã एवं कसान कयाण ½ãâ¨ããÊã¾ã  ½ãñâ  Àã·¾ã  ½ãâ¨ããè (  SHRI PARSHOTTAM RUPALA)

- (a) to (c): Deendayal  Antyodaya  Yojana  is  being  implemented  under  the  National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY - NRLM) by Ministry of Rural Development, across the country with the objective to organize all rural poor households and continuously nurture and support them till they come out of abject poverty. The programme aims to ensure that at least one woman member from each rural poor household is brought under the Self  Help  Group  (SHG)  by  2024-2025  in  a  phased  manner.  The  SHGs  are  further federated  into  village  organizations  and  cluster  level  federations.  The  mission  also provides support for bank linkage of the SHGs for availing credit for both consumption needs and investment in economic activities. Further, support is provided to enable the households  of  SHG  members  to  undertake  2-3  income  generating  activities  for enhancement  of  household  income.  These  platforms  of  SHGs  and  their  federation facilitate social, economic and political empowerment of rural women by giving them a strong voice and bargaining power.

Mahila Kisan Sashaktikaran Pariyojana (MKSP), a sub - component of the DAYNRLM aims to meet the specific needs of women farmers and achieve socio-economic and  technical  empowerment  of  the  rural  women  farmers,  predominantly  small  and marginal farmers focusing on organization and mobilization of Mahila Kisan and their training, in order to enable them to manage and sustain their activities. Proposals under MKSP are to be strategize towards coordinated action by communities and community based institutions such as women Self Help Groups and their federations.  It is further conceived that the  project  would  provide  a  complete  package  of  end to  end  services through  linking  up  women  farmers  with  community  based  organizations  providing access to complete package of options from credit, insurance and inputs, value addition and marketing of produce etc.

So  far,  this  Ministry  has  approved  64  proposals  under  MKSP  for  18  States targeting  to  cover  about  33  lakhs  Mahila  Kisan  with  the  total  central  allocation  of Rs.702.52 crore.

(d): Not applicable.

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