| Thanks to Rajiv Gandhi Mahila Vikas Pariyojana | | | | |
| (RGMVP) and its initiatives for social security | | | | At the basic level, the Self Help Groups (SHGs) |
| management for poverty-stricken women in the rural | | | | themselves serve to minimise social risk: close to |
| India, that thousands of poor women like Jannat-unnisa, | | | | 24,500 SHG members have savings worth Rs 94 |
| activist of Ali Swayam Sahayata Samooh in village | | | | million which considerable enhances security. At the |
| Parsadepur, is enjoying secured life with assured inflow | | | | next level, the Total Financial Inclusion strategy works |
| of income from the horse-cart ferry service she | | | | to mitigate social risks by ensuring that high-cost |
| alongwith her husband has started. | | | | interests and dependence on money lenders are |
| | | | | completely eliminated for the poor's lives and that their |
| Says Jannat-unnisa, "I have got a lot of help from the | | | | every need is addressed through the formal system. |
| samooh. My husband had borrowed Rs 3,000 at 10 | | | | |
| percent interest from the thakur to buy a horse for the | | | | There is no restriction on the end use of the loan |
| ikka gadi. We couldn't return it - the thakur got after us. | | | | taken by an SHG member: it could be for healthcare, |
| Then I joined the samooh, the sisters advised me that I | | | | for a wedding in the family, a pilgrimage, a religious |
| should take a loan and return the amount due to the | | | | ceremony. The aim is to decrease the burden on the |
| thakur. I did that, my husband used to ply an ikka on | | | | poor and reduce social risk by ensuring that they use |
| hire, we returned the money through that. Then the | | | | only formal institutions for their needs rather than |
| sisters told me that I should borrow Rs 10,000 and buy | | | | money lenders or other sources. |
| a horse and ikka of our own. If I was earning Rs 50 on | | | | Food security has been addressed SHGs through |
| a hired ikka, I would be able to earn Rs 100 on my own | | | | Grain Banks. Every member brings a handful of grain |
| one. So I took the loan - today I have returned the loan | | | | to the SHG meetings which is collected and from |
| and we have a good source of income." | | | | which poor members can ‘borrow' rice and wheat |
| | | | | for their needs so that no one goes hungry in the |
| An important aspect of RGMVP's poverty reduction | | | | village. |
| goals is to address social risks and build safety nets | | | | RGMVP studies have found that the poor spend a |
| for the poor. While membership of such drives itself is | | | | huge amount on healthcare, up to Rs 4,000 to 5,000 |
| the biggest safety net for the poor, risk mitigation | | | | per family per year, money that the poor can ill afford. |
| measures have been instituted at several levels to | | | | In this scenario, the Swasthya Sakhi programme |
| ensure that the poor and the poorest of poor have a | | | | serves as a safety net by creating awareness on |
| sense of security and can rely on safety nets in times | | | | healthcare and hygiene so that the poor can save this |
| of need. | | | | expenditure. |