Hyderabad|India|December'2008: President Pratibha Devisingh Patil hailed AP's unique achievements in the Self-Help Group movement. She said it is a silent socio-economic revolution of the women and said other States should emulate it. The President praised the saturation concept of the Chief Minister in the pavala vaddi, pensions and housing schemes. The Chief Minister Dr Y S Rajasekhara Reddy explained in detail about the SHG movement and the proposed pension schemes to the President Pratibha Devisingh Patil on way to Rashtrapathi Nilayam after according her the traditional welcome. He also told her about the pension schemes for various sections being implemented on a saturation concept. "Well done, it is excellent, keep it up", the President told the Chief Minister.

"It is my dream. It is my firm determination. To make one crore Self-Help Group women of the State lakhiers (Lakshadhikaris") through bank loans with the "pavala vaddi" scheme in the next four years. I am sure we can achieve it. I have asked the banks to work towards this goal. They assured me to cooperate". He told the Principal Secretary, Rural Development, Raju to get ready with an action plan accordingly. The Chief Minister will chair the Regional Workshop of Mandal Samakhya Leaders of the SHGs at Wanaparthy, Mahabubnagar district tomorrow. The Chief Minister said that when he mooted the idea of "pavala vaddi" for SHG women, the RBI had some reservations and he had to approach the GoI to convince the RBI to permit the scheme.

The Chief Minister also proposed pension scheme for all women of the SHG Groups. It will be contributory in nature and under the scheme the DWCRA women members enrolled under the scheme should contribute just one rupee a day and the government would contribute equally. This would amount Rs.365/- each by the women and the government and a total of Rs.730/-per annum. A corpus fund would be accumulated and after 20 years will get a monthly minimum pension of Rs.1,000/-. The Chief Minister said this pension scheme would ultimately benefit one crore women in 1098 mandals in the State and may involve Rs.365 crore as expenditure to the State.


There are at present 96.46 lakh women in 8.10 lakh Self Help Groups spread across all the villages in the State. 90 per cent of the rural poor households in the State are organized into SHGs under the Indira Kranthi Patham. By the dawn of next year, the number of women covered under SHGs would be one crore, the Chief Minister was informed. Dr Reddy said even at the recent State Level Bankers Convention, he emphasised the need for achieving the target and asked the bankers to take it as priority. He lauded the officials and SHGs for the achievement.

The core philosophy of Indira Kranthi Patham is that each poor individual has a strong desire and innate capability to come out of poverty. Hence, Social mobilization is the best way for unleashing the hidden energy of the poor. The poor can come out of poverty only by coming together, building their own institutions and through collective actions. The SHG women are taking up many activities with the huge bank loans provided including manufacturing, marketing and servicing including even procurement etc. Their products are exported and with better marketing technologies now being made available to them, the women SHGs are finding many of their initiatives most remunerative.

Indira Kranthi Patham vision is that each family should come out of poverty. The family should have improved status and voice in the society, intra family equity, Comprehensive Food Security, income of around Rs.5,000/- per month from 3–4 stable livelihoods, economising and optimizing household expenditure through collective marketing, good shelter, quality education, health and social acceptance.

Indira Kranthi Patham has evolved a system of Community Based Organizations with poor women being organized into Self Help Groups and these groups being federated into Village Organizations at Village level, Mandal Samakhyas at Mandal level and Zilla Samakhyas at District level. There are 34,852 Village Organizations out of which 32,061are registered and there are 1098 Mandal Samakhyas out of 1,025 are registered, there are 17 Chenchu Mandal Samakhyas 15 Fishermen Mandal Samakhyas and 22 Zilla Samakhyas. The Total Savings of SHGs amount to a whooping Rs.1755.00 Crores and the Total Corpus of SHGs is Rs.3951.00 Crores.

The IKP has produced individuals who have not only come out of poverty but who have expanded their skills and are willing to share their experience and knowledge in newer villages. These best practitioners are called as Community Resource Persons. They act as guides and role models for other poor individuals and other institutions. They provide capacity building support to newer groups. The total Community Resource Persons (CRPs) are 20,000. During the year 2007-08 alone, Rs.5883/- crores was given as bank loans to SHGs. Andhra Pradesh accounts for 50 per cent of Bank Linkages to SHGs in the entire country. Recovery of SHG loans is a record 95% and above and in most cases above 98%.

The Chief Minister explained the success of various welfare schemes to the President in detail.

Reachout's News Bureau
 December' 2008