Department of Public Relations, Chandigarh Administration www.chdpr.gov.in Press Release Chandigarh April 19:-A conference of NGOs engaged in women empowerment was held today in the Union Territory Secretariat, Sector-9, A presentation on the Micro Credit System under the Rashtriya Mahila Kosh (RMK) was given by Mrs Sneh Lata Kumar, IAS, Executive Director, R.M.K. and Shri C.R. Mishra, Deputy Director, RMK. Mrs. Raji P. Shrivastava, Special Secretary Finance and Mrs. Amandeep Kaur, Managing Director, Chandigarh Child and Women Development Corporation Limited facilitated the interface with NGOs. The Rashtriya Mahila Kosh was established on the recommendations of the National Commission and the Department of Women and Child Department, Government of India as a Society by the name of National Credit Fund for Women or Rashtriya Mahila Kosh on 30 th March 1993. The main objective of the R.M.K. is to enable women to achieve economic independence by extending financial support for: Sustenance of their existing employment. Asset Creation. Generation of further employment. Tiding over consumption social and contingent needs. At the intermediate level R.M.K. has been networking with the following organizations to channelise its credit programme:
NGOs Social Organizations Voluntary agencies State Governments Details of Facilities being extended in the form of loan to women beneficiary: Maximum Loan Rs. 25,000/- per woman beneficiary for income generating activities. Rs. 50,000/- for house construction and repairing. Maximum of Rs. 10,000/- for consumption loan per borrower. Importance of Credit Linkages Credit is an important area of development process. Each SHG member expects to get credit support when she becomes a member of a group. The group may collapse if a member does not get credit support to improve her economic condition. Therefore, credit linkage should be the thrust area of the implementing agencies to make the programme sustainable. Economic empowerment also triggers off other empowerment Social, Legal, Political, Cultural. At Grass Roots Level The women self-help groups are the foundation of the micro financial service delivery system adopted by RMK. Of late, RMK has come out with our innovative scheme to expand its grass root client base by covering
individual and group women micro entrepreneurs by introducing Working Capital term loan scheme. R.M.K. refers to channelise its i Micro-credit credit program through NGOs / VOs because :- : Experience of working with Self help Groups Experience in the field of thrift credit & recovery management members Build up trust and confidence among SHG Provide marketing supports and facilitate technology transfer to the SHGs door Save time and cost as Credit is dispensed at the Prominent among the activists who participated enthusiastically in the interaction were: 1. Dr. K.S. Raju Chairman, Ambedkar Social Justice Forum, 2. Ms. Priyanta Sharma,
Indian Council of Social Welfare, UT 3. Shri D.P. Datana, Hony. General Secretary, Indian Council of Social Welfare, UT 4. Shri Sehdev Lal Sewa Bharti, Sector 29/A, 5. Shri Dev Raj Tyagi, Secretary, Chandigarh Acharyakul Trust Sector 16-A, 6. Director, Gandhi Samark Bhawan, Sector-16, 7. Shri Prem Girdhar Joint Secretary, Institute for the Blind, Sector-26, 8. Ms. Promila Chandra Mohan, Hony. Secretary, Society for Rehabilitation of Mentally Challenged, Sector-27, 9. Shri Pankaj Principal, Vatika High School, for Deaf and Dumb, Sector-19/B, Chandigarh
10. Shri Harbans Singh, State Secretary, Bharat Sewak Samaj, Sector-24, 11. Shri S.K.Mago, Secretary, CARES, Sector-39, 12. Shri Anupam Deep YTTS, Sector11, 13. Shri V.K. Garg, Organizing Secretary, ICCW Bal Bhawan, Sector-23, 14. Shri Arshad Khan, Councillor, Municipal Corporation, 15. Maj. B.M. Singh, Humanity Welfare Society, 16. Mrs. Kamajit Saini, SOFOSH, 17. Col. Ravi Bedi, YTTS, 18. Shri P.S. Soni, Hony. Secretary, SOPS, Lajpat Rai Bhawan,
Sector-15, 19. Dr. Ramneek Sharma, Chairperson, Surya Foundation, Sector 28/D, 20. Prof. Kamlesh Mohan # 367, Sector 44-A, The Chandigarh Child and Women Development Corporation Limited will function as a nodal agency to liaise with the R.M.K. to activate women self help groups in the Union Territory. The uniqueness of this endeavour lies in the fact that this programme can combine women entrepreneurship, assistance to youth and minorities welfare initiatives already being undertaken by the UT Administration.