Govt compiling online database of self-help groups

A countrywide exercise to create an online database of Self Help Groups (SHGs) involved in income generating activities apart from their own specific economic activities has been launched by the Ministry of Rural Development.

The database would help the government and private agencies in utilising their services. While the government agencies can involve them in programmes like ICDS, private organisations requiring information on specific programmes can also refer to the database, an official said.

According to the official, the national database will have area-specific SHG information, including their village, block and district of operation, number of members, activities they are involved in, their experience and kind of sectors where their services can be utilised.

There are more than 27 lakh SHGs under the Swarnajayanti Gram Swarozgar Yojana (SGSY) only, of which a majority are women groups. Apart from this, there are SHGs operating under other central ministries, while several others are with NGOs and MFIs.

"We have requested various other ministries, like agriculture, to provide the data on SHGs operating under them so that they can all be brought under one roof and their potential can be properly utilised. Already, some of the state governments have such database and we expect that others also would provide us the details," the official said.

The ministry is upbeat about the programme as it is receiving requests from various departments to utilise the services of SGSY SHGs in their programmes. A few days back, the postal department sent a letter to the ministry proposing to utilise the services of the SHGs in the villages as postal life insurance agents.

"We would welcome such activities, which would help our SHGs to earn more for their families in addition to their own financial activities. This would also contribute to their overall growth apart from the improvement in their interactive and other skills. The whole exercise of making the SHG database is to open opportunities to all these SHGs who are mostly women dominated," the official said.

Already, the SHGs which are primarily into income generating activities, like cattle rearing, tailoring and crafts, have proved their worth in other activities. In Andhra Pradesh, the state government has involved the women SHGs in payment of wages under NREGA. In Gujarat, SHGs under SEWA are involved in various village development activities.

The exercise would also help the ministry to come out with the exact number of SHGs functioning under SGSY now, as many of them might have become defunct or expired.