State move to boost SHGs

19 December 2012

biswabrata goswami
TAMLUK, 19 DEC: To provide a boost to products manufactured by various Self Help Groups (SHGs) in East Midnapore, the district administration plans to give them a unique brand identity with a logo and monogram. It also plans to develop the concept of “one village-one product”, as well as new clusters.
A brand name, Urja, with a logo, Udiyaman Surya (Rising Sun), and a monogram have already been prepared to provide products with a unique identity to help them compete in open market. “Marketing of SHG products is now a big challenge as customers are becoming rather brand-conscious,” said Parvej Ahmed Siddiqui, district magistrate.
“A policy note drawn up by the department states that product quality is linked to the brand name and attractive packaging. Efforts will be made by the government to standardise the products of SHGs and get the required certification from government-approved agencies,” he said.
East Midnapore has been one of the pioneering districts in the state to have set up SHG institutions like Sub-Cluster, Cluster and block level Federations, with the objective of overall empowerment of women. The key strategy that the district adopted was social mobilisation of women by encouraging them to form SHGs and by promoting savings and thrift. The SHG movement in East Midnapore started in April 1999. Over the past 13 years, it has spread across the district.
At present, around 2.2 lakh families have been mobilised into some 22,356 SHGs. A total of 20,232 SHGs have started economic activities with their savings, bank credit and financial assistance by DRDC (Revolving Fund). Total savings of all SHGs under the district is Rs 7767.88 lakh as on 31 March 2012, said Mr Siddiqui. The scheme is sponsored by a state government fund and involves formation of new SHGs, capacity building of SHG members and representatives, skill training, enterprise development training, credit assistance to SHGs, setting up a revolving fund, credit linkages through banks, and marketing of SHG products through exhibitions and branding. For effective promotion of SHG products at the state, national and international level, the district administration has also launched a web-based marketing system through the website www.purbamedinipur.gov.in from where any one can directly establish contact with the SHGs. This apart, any one can get all types of information about the products, said Mamud Hossain, saha-sabhadhipati of zilla parishad. He said: “In five blocks, namely Tamluk, Panskura, Ramnagar-I, Bhagwanpur-I and Patashpur-I, Block Federations have been formed. In Tamluk Block Federation, Tamluk Block Mahila Bikash Mahasangha, is one of the best not only in West Bengal but also in India. A Cooperative Bank, Tamluk Block Mahila Bikash Credit Cooperative Society Limited, which was set up first in West Bengal on a pilot basis, is well managed by the federation.”