CA 006. (June 27, 2019) : Power of Togetherness 

SHGs are for creating democratic society:- Shubhawati tells the story of Transformation

Shubhawati Devi Sachiv of “Jai Ma Kali SHG” tells the story of “Power of togetherness”. On 12^th December 2012 under the facilitation of Rajiv Gandhi Mahila Vikas Pariyojana, she joined a fifteen membered SHG, named “Jai Ma Kali Swayam Sahayata Samuh”. She belongs to Jiraso Gram Panchayat of Bhagalpur block of Deoria district. In the span of Seven years, she felt she had undergone a versatile development. Not only did the SHG saved a huge amount of “Rupees Two Lakh thirty-one thousand” but together they have also been successful in fighting for their rights and entitlements which were in clutches of feudal community. Many times they have fought for social causes like Drainage (Nali), Khadanja, safe drinking water, Grain Bank, NREGA, etc.

This village has 13 SHGs which are organized into a Gram Sangathan named “Ugata Suraj Mahila Gram Santhan”.

When they started running SHG they began savings with Rs.25 per week per member often Rupees hundred a month. They continued this saving till December 2018, and from January 2019 they enhanced the saving by Rupees Two hundred per month per member, simultaneously all the members have utilized their saving for their well-being.

The beauty of this Self-Help group is that every member has equal value, all have fulfilled their financial needs from their SHG which can be seen from the following matrix-

Almost all the SHGs in this Gram Sangathan have similar conditions. They have good savings of more than one lakhs, availing entitlements, access to the health facilities are excellent, making of natural manure can be seen, Evaporation of caste and creed is noticeable, paving the way towards a democratic society.

Pankaj Srivastav