The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Tiruchi News : `Sanction more loans to self-help groups'

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Oct 14, 2004

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Tiruchi

`Sanction more loans to self-help groups'

By Our Staff Reporter

TIRUCHI, OCT. 13 . The Collector, V. Pandian, has urged bank officials to sanction more loans to members of self-help groups for ensuring their economic uplift.

Presiding over a day-long `Sensitisation programme for bank officials on self-help groups and credit rating camp' sponsored by the Tamil Nadu Corporation for Development of Women (Mahalir Thittam) here today, the Collector said though the banks had advanced loans of Rs.19.93 crores to 5,661 SHGs, the quantum of flow of credit per group was far less, retarding the economic competency of the rural women. Adequate attention had been paid by agencies to the formation of the SHGs to such an extent that many panchayats had more than two groups. However, the financial self-reliance of women remained a far cry, owing to lacklustre response from a cross section of bank officials, he said.

The Collector asked the bank managers to introduce capacity-building techniques for innovative trades, for achieving a faster growth in the social and economic status of the self-help groups. About 850 women had undergone training for various trades during the current financial year so far, through the Mahalir Thittam and the Tamil Nadu Adi Dravidar Housing and Development Corporation against the target of about 2,400.

Mr. Pandian said that about 575 SHGs were yet to be rated in the district and expressed the hope the sensitisation programme would address various issues associated with the practical problems and come out with a feasible strategy.

The Special Officer of the Tiruchi District Central Cooperative Bank, R. Ambikeswaran, said that under the Integrated Cooperative Development Programme, the Bank had planned to impart special skill training to SHGs. A sum of Rs.65 lakhs had been allotted for the purpose. He sought the assistance of the bank managers in identifying and promoting improvised trades involving complex training. The ICDP authorities would even visit the villages concerned for imparting training, he added.

The Assistant General Manager, National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD), P.Selvaraj, said his bank had simplified the norms on re-finance for loans for SHGs.

The Project Officer, District Rural Development Agency, Manohara Singh and the Chief Regional Manager, Indian Overseas Bank, V. R. Veerasekaran were among those who spoke.

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