April 11, 2014
1000 days at a glance: Assisting self-help groups
The West Bengal Government has been working relentlessly to empower the self-help groups in the State. The number of beneficiaries under the Swami Vivekananda Swanirbhar Karmasansthan Prokalpo over the last two and half years was almost 78 thousand. Rs 8.12 crore has been spent to train producers of self-employment projects with the objective to develop the standard of their items.
Through 91 special training camps, 2660 local unemployed youth have been given training in different fields with the objective to make the people of Jangalmahal self-sufficient through increase in their earnings.
Here are the achievements of the Department of Self-Help Group and Self Employment:
Paschimbanga Swanirbhar Sahayak Prokalpo: This scheme under Paschimbanga Swarojgar Nigam Limited is an interest-subsidy scheme for reducing loans of the self-help groups. The purpose of this scheme is to reduce burden of much interest on taken loan from bank. In the mean time State Government has spent a sum of total Rs 24.24 crore for giving interest subsidy. As a result, nearly total 1 lakh 47 thousand groups have benefited.
Exhibitions and Fairs: Department of Self-Help Group and Self Employment organised Sabala Mela at district and state level in last two years for selling finished goods and for making contact in between proper buyers and producers of self-help group and self employment schemes through exhibitions and fairs. Total sale amount was Rs 1.60 crore in Sabala Mela this time the highest figure in the recent years. Not only self help groups were able to sell goods amounting Rs 40 lakh in the International Trade Fair held in New Delhi, but also became able to make good contact with few business organization and businessmen.
Training and Marketing Centre: The work for construction of Training and Marketing Centre for the development of rural infrastructure at Nilgunj, Minakhan, Dhamakhali of Uttar 24 Parganas, Durgapur, Khandaghosh and Madhabdihi of Bardhaman has been completed. Beside, work for construction of Training and Marketing Centres at New Town, Rajarhat of Kolkata, Ruipukur of Nadia, Phuljhor of Bardhaman and the office of the District Collector of Paschim Medinipur is going on. The work for construction of a sales counter at the Durgapur City Centre and a granary at Khandaghosh for the self-help groups has been complete.
Muktidhara: On March 7, 2013 at Purulia, a new project named, Muktidhara has been introduced at the initiative of the Dept. of the self-help group and self employment in order to ensure permanent high income, poverty eradication and economic development of the self-help groups. The projects are being materialized with the cooperation of NABARD. The experimental training camps have been completed for the time being at Balarampur and Purulia-I Blocks of Purulia district. Similar work has begun at present in Paschim Medinipur district also.
Click here for the full list of achievements.
