PM Modi Interacts With Women Self Help Group Members, Honours Their Service To Society Amid COVID Crisis

During the event, Prime Minister Narendra Modi released a compilation of success stories of women SHG members from all across the country, emphasising the importance of "Nari Shakti".

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New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday interacted with women Self Help Group (SHG) members in the 'Atmanirbhar Narishakti se Samvad' programme through video conferencing.

PM Modi appreciated their role during the COVID-19 pandemic, saying that the way the women self-help groups have served the nation by producing masks and sanitisers, creating awareness about the spread is unprecedented, news agency ANI reported.

It was informed that there are over 42 crore Jan-Dhan bank accounts out of which 55 percent are held by women. During the virtual event, PM Narendra Modi spoke to the SHG members who are promoted under the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana-National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM). 

"I congratulate our sisters who along with giving a better life to their families have helped in the development of the country too," PM Modi said.

"Our government provided more support to women's SHGs compare to previous governments. We opened bank accounts for women and provided loans without guarantee to SHGs. In seven years, SHGs have done commendable work in paying back their loans. There was a time when 9 per cent of loans became bad loans. This has now reduced to 2-2.5 per cent. The country acknowledges your honesty," ANI quoted the Prime Minister as saying.

Prime Minister released capitalisation support funds of Rs 1,625 crore to over 4 lakh SHGs. Besides this, he will also release Rs 25 crore as seed money for 7,500 SHG members under the PMFME (PM Formalisation of Micro Food Processing Enterprises) scheme of the Ministry of Food Processing Industries and Rs 4.13 crore as funds to 75 FPOs (Farmer Producer Organizations) being promoted under the mission.

Speaking to Champa Singh, a member of the SHG in Madhya Pradesh, PM Modi said that "Nari Shakti" (women's power) can bring any change if they are determined and appreciated for their efforts.

"When a woman is empowered, not just a family is empowered but also the society and the country too develop," the Prime Minister said.

He suggested Champa that she begin an online campaign for organic farming.

PM Modi suggested that, to mark the 75th year of Independence, women SHGs take out 75 hours in the entire year and do sanitisation-related and water conservation works, which will help the society at large.

During the event, the Prime Minister released a compilation of success stories of women SHG members from all across the country along with a handbook on universalisation of farm livelihoods.

According to PMO, DAY-NRLM aims at mobilizing rural poor households into Self Help Groups (SHGs) in a phased manner and provide them long-term support to diversify their livelihoods, improve their incomes and quality of life.

It was informed that most of mission's interventions are being implemented and scaled up by the SHG women themselves who are trained as community resource persons (CRPs) - Krishi Sakhis, Pashu Sakhis, Bank Sakhis, Bima Sakhis and Banking Correspondent Sakhis.