State plans online monitoring system for WSHGs

For effective monitoring of the activities of the Women Self Help Groups (WHHGs) in the state, the Orissa government plans to create an online data base for them.

It will be in line with the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS), implemented by the Panchayatiraj department.

The women and child welfare department of the Orissa government is preparing a blue print for the proposed scheme which is likely to be implemented in next couple of months. Under the scheme, a MIS format will be developed for online monitoring of various activities of the WSHGs.

The data base will have all the information pertaining to the activities of the WSHGs, the federations functioning at the block level, credit linkage, source of finances, activities taken up by these groups at any particular time. The Orissa Computer Application Centre (OCAC) will be requested to provide the technical support for the project, sources said.

The department also plans to provide insurance coverage to about 45 lakh members of the 3,61,000 WSHGs functioning in the state. Expression of interest (EoI) has been invited from the insurance companies for the purpose and different packages for delivering the service to the intended beneficiaries are being finalised.

The department is in discussion with other departments like panchayatiraj, finance, health, tribal development, labour and employment to make the scheme effective.

Further, as a measure to facilitate the working of the WSHGs in the state, the government has finalised an operational manual, to guide the women self help groups, federations in their activities. It is proposed to be released after the code of conduct expires after the parliamentary and the state assembly polls, sources added.