Study of Self-Help Group Institutions
C. Ramasamy (second left), Vice-Chancellor of Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, releasing a souvenir in Coimbatore on Monday. Jayanthi Murali (right), Head of Division (Land Use), State Planning Commission, Chennai, receiving the first copy. The Self-Help Groups (SHGs) generate positive impact on the rural economy through empowering women and enhancing income of the participant households. However, some become defunct or gets dissolved due to internal conflicts. This is true in the context of watershed management, C. Ramasamy, Vice-Chancellor of Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, said here on Monday.
He was inaugurating a one-day policy workshop on “Role of Watershed Institutions in Mitigating Poverty: A Study of Self-Help Group Institutions across Micro-Watersheds” jointly organised by the university and the Global Development Network, New Delhi. He said the members of SHGs directly or indirectly depended on watersheds for their livelihood. They should be encouraged to participate in watershed management activities in different phases of implementation.
“They should be involved in planning, implementing and maintaining watersheds. They should also work hand in hand with other watershed organisations such as user groups, watershed committees, associations, etc. The public policies geared towards increasing women’s participation in SHGs generate substantial income and have significance in household welfare,” the Vice-Chancellor said. He asserted that continuing public support for the expansion of SHGs appeared crucial to achieve poverty reduction. He exhorted the participants to derive policy options for promoting institutions in rural areas for sustainable watershed management and poverty reduction.
As an important development programme, watershed development received much attention from the Central and State Governments. “Till the X Plan, 17.24 million hectares were treated with a budget of Rs. 9,368 crore under the Ministry of Agriculture; 27.52 million hectares were treated with an outlay of Rs. 6,855 crore under the Ministry of Rural Development and 0.82 million hectares with an outlay of Rs. 814 crore under the Ministry of Environment and Forests were treated,” Mr. Ramasamy said. Jayanthi Murali, Head of Division (Land Use), State Planning Commission, Chennai, said that the programmes and projects of the SHGs many a time did not have sustainable market and good profitability.
“Many SHGs are given loans for projects. Sustainability of the projects even after the loan period is not guaranteed. This area should get focus. Also, it should be seen that the income-generation activities of the SHGs are decided based on the local talents and resources,” she said. She urged the participants to develop guidelines to ensure good marketing and profitability of the projects of the SHGs even beyond the project period. Vidya Damera, representative from the Global Development Network, said the organisation promoted policy-based research on general issues on an international level. Representatives from research institutes, non-governmental organisations, Government and the university attended.
