report by chandra prakash - copy

8/8/2019 Report by Chandra Prakash - Copy

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REPORT ON

MICROFINANCE-----an effective tool for socio-economic change

(Acutely based on the functionality and

implementation by SABUJ SANGHA for its micro-credit program)

Compiled byCHANDRA PRAKASH

B.Tech, 2nd

yearIIT, DELHI

c.p

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[email protected]

PREFACE

I am really glad and consider myself privileged to get such agrave opportunity to work as a part of Sabuj Sangha.

I did have a pleasant and unique experience oflearning through interaction, observation and abstract

conceptualization. Moreover, I had a chance to understand the localcommunity people, their language, culture, the estuarine andtropical climate, socio-economic issues and of-course the Bengalicuisine of rice and fish-curry (a rarity in Delhi!). Professionally, thekind of rural exposure I had was very neoteric and exceptional. Theknowledge that I gained was very far apart and different, both inconceptualization and implementation, from the conventionalbookish theoretical learning we had in our class-rooms.

My report consists offourparts-part 1> an introductory statement about SabujSangha and Microfinance;part 2> structure, functionality

and facilities under its Microfinance scheme;part 3>utilization of loans by the beneficiaries; and, part 4> myinferences and reflections about reasons and possiblesolutions.Undoubtedly, there is a significant parity between the theory and itsapplied practicality in a system. When I return, I would be a man ofmore rationality, broader horizon and knowledge.

As pre-stated, its my first rural-internship, and being a tyro in this sector, this being my first report-cum-feedback type of thing (though full attention and care has beentaken to make it a better one!); I just hope that my efforts do standon to your expectations!

THE BEST OF WISHES TO ALL OF YOU!

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

It is never easy to work and learn in a new community of whichyou never have been a part before, but on contrary consistentassistance and co-operation of some of the people made me feel just likehome and I enjoyed my stay to the brim at such a beautiful and scenicplace.

I would first of all like to thank Mr. Asok Bhattacharya (preferablyAsok Da), the head supervisor of the Nandakumarpur center of SabujSangha, who efficiently coordinated and arranged for everything duringmy stay and learning.

I would heartily like to express my gratitude and humble thanks toBarnali Di, who played the role of a teacher, mentor and guide. Whatevernew things I did learn during my rural internship had been under herkind tutelage.

A great thanks to Bakul da for making my stay a pleasant one andfor arranging yummy cuisines in lunches, breakfast and dinner(meanwhile, I nearly gained near about 5kgs ! ).

A very special thanks to PRAVAH, the Delhi based NGO, whichprovided me with such a great opportunity and platform to work andlearn with such a great organization, SABUJ SANGHA.

Furthermore, I would thank all the people whose best wishes andefforts were involved in my entire rural exposure!

(Thanks to Mr. Bill Gates too for developing MS-WORD!)

********

CONTENTS

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1. COVERPAGE

2. PREFACE

3. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

4. CONTENTS

5. BRIEF ORGANIZATIONAL PROFILE

6. INTRODUCTION TO MICROFINANCE7. SABUJ JEEVAN DEEP PRAKALPA

8. STRUCTURE AND FUNCTIONING

9. LOANS AND SERVICES

10. THE FINANCIAL NEEDS OF THE PEOPLE

11. PIE-CHARTS SHOWING RESOURCE

ALLOCATION

12. CASE STUDIES

13. REASONS FOR THE NON-INCOME GENERATION

14. VIEWS AND SUGGESTIONS

15. EPILOGUE

16. POEM

Part 1: INTRODUCTION TO SABUJ SANGHA AND MICRO FINANCEPart 2: STRUCTURE, FUNCTIONALITY AND FACILITIES

Part 3: UTILIZATION OF LOANS BY THE PEOPLE

Part 4: MY INFERENCES AND REFLECTIONS ON REASONS AND POSSIBLE

SOLUTIONS

A BRIEF ORGANIZATION PROFILE:

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Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4


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It incorporates a wide range of financial services,

not just credit but also savings, insurance and fund transfers.

In modern day scenario, when the disparity between the rich and the poor is

broadening, Microfinance has emerged as an effective and vitaltool for the socio-economic

development. It is aimed at the alleviation of poverty and providing the destitute a chance to

establish their own micro-enterprise and become self-reliant.

The roots of such micro-credit

institutions were sown with the success of Md. Yunus, whose efforts since early 1970s of

financial development of the poor communities in Bangladesh through micro-finance werevery successful and became renowned throughout the world. His micro-credit institute today

is known as the Grameen Bank. He was awarded Noble Prize for peace in the year 2006.

Today, a lot of micro-financial institutes are operating throughout the world with the

largest concentrations in the developing countries particularly in India and Bangladesh. Due

to the lack of infrastructure and proper banking facilities in rural areas, the microfinance

initiative by various NGOs is the need of the hour. One of the possible options of the

government could be through the POST-OFFICEs, as they are one of the oldest and the most

wide-spread government enterprises prevalent in the country.

A genuine Microfinance-

Institution must provide its beneficiaries with money for their Lifecycle needs, PersonalEmergencies, Disaster mitigation and for Investment opportunities.

A GENUINE MICROFINANCE SYSTEM PAYS FOR ITSELF!

SABUJ JEEVAN DEEP PRAKALPA : SABUJ SANGHAsINITIATIVE OF MICROFINANCE

Sabuj Sangha has undertaken the scheme of Microfinance under its program named

as Sabuj Jeevan Deep Prakalpa. It was first initiated in the year 1995 and since then this has

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been one of the major areas of focus of the organization.

The most striking feature of this program is that it

involves the local women folks in its implementation.The members of the Self Help Groups (SHGs)

comprises of women only, giving them a chance to

be the basis of the community development.

Contrarily, South 24 Parganas records one of the

lowest sex-ratio in West Bengal and hence such-a-

program has great social importance!

The potential members become representatives and

even get absorbed as permanent workers of the

organization.

Moreover, they also act as medium of instrumentation of other programs and

initiatives of the organization like distribution of Solar-panels and lights at

highly subsidized rates to the people, construction of household toilets for

proper sanitation.

They even act as the source or nodules of rationalism and propagation of

ideas and dissemination of knowledge in the society aimed at the betterment

of the people.

Thus it can be established that its a Microfinance-cum-Women

Empowerment Program.

In the fiscal year 2008-2009 about 33% of the organization-funds wasallocated in the micro-credit program which amounts to more than 2.5 crores INR. These facts

subtly establish the importance Sabuj Sangha gives to this sector. All these money disbursed

to the people provide them not only with capital, but an opportunity to be at par with the main

stream society!

More than 10,000 women are the beneficiaries under this program and over 600

groups (SHGs) are prevalent in the entire operational area of this organization.

Broadly, the main objectives of Sabuj Jeevan Deep Prakalpa can be stated as follows:

Community Organization and awareness generation

Formation of homogenous SHGs (Self Help Groups) of women

Capital formation through micro-savings activity

Supply of adequate capital to establish their own micro-enterprises

Provision of emergency assistance

To usher an era of social empowerment of women.

With the passage of time, the program has evolved and has become a lot

diversified. It is providing financial assistance for business, agriculture, pisciculture, animalhusbandry, transportation and emergency needs of the village people.

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************

STRUCTURE AND FUNCTIONALITY

STRUCTURE:

Sabuj Jeeevan Deep Prakalpa, the Sabuj Sanghas Initiative of Microfinance,executes its micro-credit system in a well organized three-tier structure.

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Basic structure

GROUP

It is the grass-root level of execution.

Also known as Self Help Group (SHG) comprises of minimum five to

maximum twenty village women members.

Each group has a leader of its own, known as DALNETRI to glibly co-ordinate the activities of respective groups.

She acts just like an accountant of the whole of group and maintains the

micro-credit passbook that contains records of the loans sanctioned or

savings in reference to each member of the group.

CLUSTER

A cluster meeting is held at least once in a month

It consists of the Dalnetris of the entire village and any amendments in the

implementation procedure are discussed with the Dalnetris.

It acts as a platform for them to rectify themselves, discuss their issues and

take any new resolutions.

Every cluster has its own representative who is answerable to the upper

stratum of the system.

MICRO-CREDIT SYSTEM

FEDERATION (apex-level)

CLUSTER (mid-level)

GROUP (grass-root level)

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FEDERATION

It is an eighteen member team constituting of two representatives from each

of eight clusters (8*2=16), one Sabuj Sangha member and the

Anchaladhikari of the locality.

It is the apex level of execution of the Sabuj Jeeevan Deep Prakalpa

initiative.

All major and vital decisions and amendments in the procedure and

execution, solutions of the problems and fund allocations are done at this

level.

MOBILE TEAM:

A mobile team consisting of 4 to 5 members has been formed to assist the

Dalnetris.

It does and covers the most of the field works of the Microfinance-team.

Each member is assigned their clusters to which they remain responsible.

The Dalnetris themselves are the local women and hence they have acute

chances of committing mistakes in maintaining the accounts of themembers of the SHGs. The mobile team members scrutinize and rectify the

mistakes if any.

In doing so, a copy of the ledger itself gets available to the concerned

NGOs officials.

MAIN SABUJ SANGHAS MICROFINANCE TEAM:

The main and official Microfinance Team of Sabuj Sangha consisted of 4/5

members

Each one of them had their own tasks like disbursement of loans to the

inhabitants, maintenance of records of accounts of individual SHG

members, distribution of pass-books and Emergency cards etc.

Obviously, one member to efficiently supervise and co-ordinate the entire

function of the team and the total Microfinance system from the apex to the

grass root level of execution.

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THE CATEGORIZATION OF DEFAULTERS:

The members who dont repay their loan in time are classified as D-x,

where x stands for the number of months passed since the time of the

repayment. For instance

D-1= who didnt repay even after one month of the prescribed

time

D-2= who didnt repay even after two months of the prescribed

time

D-3= who didnt repay even after three months of the

prescribed time

D-4= who didnt repay even after four months of the

prescribed time

.

.

D-x= who didnt repay even after x months of the prescribed

time

*********

TYPES OF LOANS DISBURSED:

In total three types of loans are disbursed to the people-

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1. General Loan

2. Agricultural Loan

3. Emergency Loan

A. GENERAL LOAN

Its granted for twelve months

It has to be re-paid in ten equal installments

A service charge of 2% is induced on the loan

It is aimed to aid for any financial assistance, be it for setting of an enterprise, health

emergency, education etc.

A sample chart for calculation of interest for a general loan of Rs 1,000/- is shown:

slno. loan balance month no. s.charge totalsurcharge

1 1000 1 20 20

2 1000 2 20 40

3 1000 3 20 60

4 900 4 18 78

5 800 5 16 94

6 700 6 14 108

7 600 7 12 120

8 500 8 10 130

9 400 9 8 138

10 300 10 6 144

11 200 11 4 148

112 100 12 2 150

total repayment = Rs. 1,150/- (1000+150)

Defaulters are fined too.

A rebate of Rs.15is given to those who repay on time.

B. AGRICULTURAL LOAN

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It is aimed to finance for agricultural requirements or capital for the villagers.

It is disbursed for a period of six months to account for the gestation period of

harvesting.

It is repaid in the fifth and sixth month after procurement of loan.

The interest rate is same as for general loan i.e. 2% p.m.

The minimum amount of loan offered in this category is Rs 3,000/- and the maximum

amount is Rs 10,000/-

A sample calculation of the interest for agricultural loan of Rs 1,000/- borrowed in the

month May is shown in following chart:

sl. no. Month repayment s. charge

1 JUNE 0 20

2 JULY 0 20

3 AUGUST 0 20

4 SEPTEMBER 0 20

5 OCTOBER 555 20

6 NOVEMBER 555 10

TOTAL REPAYMENT= (1000+110)= Rs. 1,110/-

C. EMERGENCY LOAN

An innovative system of Emergency card which is just like an ATM (Any Time

Money) card has been introduced.

An amount of Rs 500/- is immediately disbursed to the applicant.

It has been implemented to provide and aid the residents to respond adequately at the

time of any financial emergency or need.

Who can avail the Emergency Card?

All SHG members who have savings of at least Rs 600/- are eligible forthe Emergency Card.

The SHG members who have repaid their loans in time are eligible forthis service too.

Why Rs 600/- only?

Rs 100/- is the minimum balance required to be present in ones NGO

account. Rs 500/- is provided as financial assistance to the client and hence Rs 600/- is

the minimum required balance in the account.

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HOUSING LOAN SCHEME:

Apart from above mentioned three types of loans which are targeted to the vulnerable

section of the community, a distinct HOUSING LOAN SCHEME is also implemented bySabuj Sangha.

It is available for the school teachers and staffs of the locality who are employed in

the government schools to aid them in making their dream houses.

SPECIAL FEATURES:

The micro-credit system has been made much more flexible.

The amount of loan disbursed is increased for those who repay in time and are willing

to make their micro-enterprise a larger one.

In return they have to deposit the requisite amount of savings, as shown in the

following table:

sl. no. loan amount range (inRs)

requisite deposit

1 1st loan 1000 to 3000 10% savings

2 2nd loan 3000 to 5000 15% savings

3 3rd loan 5000 to 8000 20% savings

4 4th loan 8000 to 10000 25% savings

5 5th and onwards upper limit 25000 25% savings

The amount of money which is taken as the service charge is utilized for giving TAs

to the corresponding Group Leaders and a part of it is used to meet the stationary and

printing expenditures.

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CURRENCY FLOW IN THE SYSTEM:

Flow diagram showing the flow of money in the system

There is also another phenomenon associated with the monetary flow in the system. As once

the money is taken from the bank and disbursed among the people, moreover a large fraction

stuck in the field, there is not enough left with the organization to endow every client with the

requisite loan amount. And hence, there is ROLLING of money among different SHGs i.e.

between the saving groups and the mortgage groups.

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MONEY USED INUNPRODUCTIVE

STUFFS AND HENCE

STRUCK IN FIELD

SABUJ SANGHA

SAVINGS

+

REPAYMENT

BANK

AND FUNDS

LOANS


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Rolling of money in the field

The Financial Needs of the People

The needs of the poor people can be categorized in the following categories

which the financial assets must bear. The areas where the people use their money are:

Investmenttype

INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITY:

1. Starting a business P

2. Expanding the business P

3. Buying a piece of land, farming equipments, seeds, sewing machines etc. P

4. Job security including payment of bribes etc P

5. Pisciculture P

6. Animal husbandry P

7. Improving housing facilities like sanitation, solar cells etc NP

8. Transportation P

LIFE CYCLE NEEDS:

9. Child birth NP

10. Old age NP

11. Widowhood NP

12. Marriage/Dowry NP

13. Education (in a long run)P

EMERGENCIES:

14. Theft NP

15. Sickness NP

16. Death NP17. Unemployment NP

SABUJ SANGHA

Saving gp

1

Saving gp

2

Saving gp

3

Debit gp 1 Debit gp 2 Debit gp 3

Debit gp 4

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NATURAL DISASTERS:

18. Bulldozing of houses NP

19. Destruction of crops NP

20. Destruction of pisciculture NP

21. Loss of bovine and domestic animals NP

P = LOAN FOR PRODUCTIVE PURPOSE

NP= LOAN FOR NON-PRODUCTIVE PURPOSE

TOTAL PRODUCTIVE PURPOSES= 8

TOTAL NON PRODUCTIVE PURPOSES= 13

TOTAL PURPOSES CONSIDERED= 21

the above pie chart shows the percentage of people applying for loan for different purposes

volume flow for different loans(as per year 2008-09 data)

business 12%

consumption 7%

agriculture 18%

emergency 61%

fisheries 1%

transport 1%

17volume flow for productive and unproductive purpose(as per year 2008-09 data)

for productive purpose

, 33%for unproductive purpose,67%


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the above pie chart amount of disbursed money used for productive and non-productive purpose

perce

40

50

ge

The above graph demonstrates that under income generative investments fromloans, the beneficiaries have shifted to business enterprises to a large extent.

loans taken for productive and non-productive purposes(as per year 2008-09 data)

Loan for productive purpose,83.48 lakhs, 69%

loan for non-productive

Purpose, 37.42 lakhs, 31%

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There is a sharp increase of nearly 13 percent in the business sector.

Even the number of loans taken for agriculture, pisciculture and animal

husbandry has declined to some extent.

The increased volume percent for the emergency services establish that the

Emergency Card has served the village folks under difficult circumstances to a

very large extent.

***********

CASE STUDY

Ensuring Higher Education and a bright future for her children

Smt. Usha Rani Bera is a house-wife of 41 years old. Her family is a

larger one and consists of six members in total- herself, her husband, two daughters, a

son and her sister-in-law. Her husband runs his own private tuition and has a very

mediocre earning.

The name of her Self Help Group (SHG) is Falguni

Dal which is under Mahabatnagar Cluster. Her group

comprises of twelve members, out of which currently

eight have their savings account while the rest four do

take loan from the Sabuj Sangha.

She has taken loans from

Sabuj Sangha six times, and each time she has been

able to repay it in time. She invested the amount taken

in poultry and agricultural cultivation primarily of

vegetables. She has been quite successful in her

investment and in the last year she reaped a profit of

Rs 3000/- out of Rs 8000/- invested, a net profit of

about 37.5 percent!

From the savings

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from the profit, she has provided and ensured higher education to all of her three

children (two daughters and a son). She says that she had been able to give a better

education and bright future to her children mainly by the dint of the efforts and

privileges granted by Sabuj Sangha.

Its really to see the village folks giving such a high importance to theeducation for their children. It acts as an ideal and lesson for the entire society.Kudos

to Usha di and Sabuj Sangha to make it happen!

On being further asked that on what issues she

would like to draw the attention of the government authorities or any of the NGOs,

she solemnly replied that the illicit liquor consumption is a major concern. Imitating

the elders, even the youngsters are falling prey to it. It is of a great social concern as

liquor consumption causes money depletion, poor health, psychological abnormalities

and might even be fatal. Some of the village people tried to close down the wine-

making shop and even reported to the Gram Panchayat. But due to corruption and

internal politics, their demands went unheeded and the wine-shop re-opened.

*********

DOCUMENTATION OF VARIOUS REASONS ACCOUNTING

FOR THE DISBURSED MONEY NOT BEING USED FOR

INCOME GENERATION

The last couple of pages aptly demonstrate that in the year 2008-2009, out of

the total number of applicants for loan only 33% people applied for the loan

for a productive purpose. Furthermore, out of the total money disbursed

among the people 31% was used either for purely consumptive or non

productive purposes.

If you go by the list of the defaulters (those who were not able to repay in

time), it is established that the most of the D-5, D-6, D-7, D-8 or above are the

people who took the loan for a non-income generation purpose.

INFORMATION GAP

There is always some sort of attenuation of the information

involved as it passes from one stratum to another. I happen to see some cases

where the beneficiaries dont have the complete knowledge of the terms and

the modes of repayment of different kinds of loans they take.

As an instance, for any

sort of investment that involves a gestation period, its better to take the

requisite amount under Agricultural loan than taking under the General loan.

THE PARITAL FACTOR

South 24 Parganas records one of the worst sex ratio in the state. As

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thriving and being a part of the prevalent patriarchal society, many of the

women just take the money on the sheer demand of their husband. It has been

found that women often act merely as collection agents for their husbands and

sons, such that the men spend the money themselves while women are saddled

with the credit risk. As a result, borrowers are kept out of waged work and

pushed into the informal economy.There are a lot of financial interventions from their

male counterparts, and even if they take the money on account of their own

decisiveness, they are not able to use the full amount for the improvement of

their own enterprises.

PSYCHOLOGICAL FACTOR

Most of the village folks are not habituated of dealing with a large

amount of money. When they get the amounts in their hands, they are just not

able to allocate it properly for the income generation; rather they spend it in

other non productive things which they usually are not able to accommodate in

general.

NATURAL CALAMITIES

The natural diversity and beauty are the integral part of the ecosystem

in this part of India. But a coin has both the faces, the village people are

marred frequently by cyclones and inundations. Couple of years back, AILA

doomed the people. They cant be avoided but could be only valiantly faced.

The

Agriculture and Pisciculture are the most vulnerable sections in this context.

Sweet water ponds are filled with salty water and the soil becomes much more

alkaline thus turning them useless for vegetation. Moreover, people are devoidof their houses; and suffer great economic and psychological losses.

Such disasters

deteriorate and push back the people from where they had started and

developed.

PREGNANCY AND FAMILY HEALTH

The beneficiaries of the program are all women and hence

during their pregnancy they are unable to look after their enterprises own their

own. Also when any of the family members, be her husband or kid, fall ill they

are pre-occupied with their concern and look-after.

Thus during these time spans,i.e. around the last five-six months of pregnancy and a few weeks in case of

illness, their investment remain dormant or depreciates. It gravely affects their

income generation potential.

THE SOCIAL FACTOR OF THE DOWRY

In contrary to the original intention of the Microfinance

system to empower women, one of the effects of the infusion of cash into local

economies has been the increase in dowries.

The women are forced at times to take the

Micro-credit loans as the only means to pay these increased dowries for their

daughters. Thus the loan taken is not being invested for the income generationpurpose.

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PREVALENCE OF INACTIVE AND DORMANT SHG MEMBERS

There are some members in various Self Help Groups who are inactive

and have no interest at all in the system. There are cases in which some of the

women have shifted to some other place along with their family.

To ensurecompactness and efficiency in the system it is necessary to weed these types of

members out of the SHGs.

LACK OF ACTIVE PARTICIPATION

During one of my cluster meeting visits, we witnessed less than 40%

attendance of the DALNETRIs or the group-leaders. Group and panel

discussions are the integral part of the systems execution of reforms.

In

addition they provide a platform for the dissemination of ideas, solution to

conflicts and problems and enhance social interaction; which in return helps in

personality development and broadening their thoughts of the individuals as

they all share common aspirations and problems.

********

DOCUMENTATION OF SOME OF THE SUGGESTIONS OR

IDEAS FOR THE BETTERMENT OF THE SYSTEM IN

MICROFINANCE AND OTHER SECTORS

EMPHASIS ON COOPERATIVE AND PARTNERSHIP TYPE

ENTERPRISES

A variety of factors

including difficulties in reaching the target market,

the high risk profile of clients,

their general distaste for the joint liability requirement,

high overhead costs

These have made solidarity lending unviable without anysignificant amount of subsidies.

A switch over to co-operative or partnership based

enterprises would help the participating women members by:

Reducing the family influence on their enterprises

In times of emergency have comrades to look after the

enterprise

Prevent the same types of enterprise from competing

against each other

Would have an integrated and more rational approach

towards solving problems

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Reduce the per head cost of overhead expenditures like

transportation costs, infrastructural costs etc

BETTER NETWORK OF ROADS

The conditions of roads inter-connecting the villages are pathetic. In factthere are no roads at all! Roads account for better transportation and

communication services which hold the keys to development.

In addition, the roads would serve

as source of employment. When under construction, the localites can act as

laborers and afterwards can drive rickshaws, motor-carts, autos (both menial and

goods freight) etc as their permanent occupation.

PROVISION FOR INSURANCE

Insurance remains as the only key to provide financial security to the

penurious people against the natural calamities of flood and cyclones which are

frequent in this region.

The agriculture and pisciculture (which are the major

sources of income) are the worst effected during natural calamities. An innovative

approach would be to set aside a part of the loan as a premium while being taken

for such purposes.

Another approach could be to make the beneficiary deposit a

particular amount of money in quarterly, half-yearly or annual installments. So

that ample amount of money could be provided to the beneficiary in case of

serious or irreversible damage to their enterprises.

This would provide a fiscal security to the people even at the

time of disasters and equip them with sufficient resources to re-start their

enterprises.

FREQUENT CONSOLIDATION OF GROUPS

The members who have become dormant or moved out of the

villages should be immediately weeded out from their respective groups. It would

provide compactness and enhance the efficiency and performance of the system.

NEED FOR BETTER ANIMAL HUSBANDRY PROSPECTS

The area witnesses a good annual rainfall and has warm-humidtype climate which naturally suit the growth of pastures and grass covers. Thus the

area has immense animal-husbandry potential. It also wont cost the owners much

as the natural feed for their cattle is available in ample amounts.

Indigenous cows have good immunity and climatic-adaptability but

lack in productivity.

They can be cross-bred with the bulls of better variety to

enhance their productivity.

It would help in genetic improvement of the indigenous cows.

One bull for each village would be sufficient for the entire village.

Many poor families rely heavily on their domestic animals. It would

help them a lot in enhancing their income with a very low investment.

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PROPER COUNSELLING TIPS TO THE NEW INVESTORS

The village people have no natural aptitude towards business. They

tend to follow each other and have a tendency to invest in the same kind of

business, and hence reducing each-others market. Also they lack competitiveness,

proper business strategy, market adaptability in case of festivals or inflationand a true knowledge about the enterprises they are investing in which limits

their profit or performance.

For an instance, in poultry

farming, the investors must know the symptoms of avian diseases to prevent any

epidemic wash out due to infection, an effective business plan to adapt according

to market alterations and re-investment etc.

Thus they need to be provided with

the appropriate guidelines to make a better use of their resources. Like the use of

vermiform compost in agriculture, bamboo sticks in making their houses for extra

strength, recycle of kitchen wastes into vegetable farms etc need to be promoted

for the benefit of common people too.

ADDITIONAL EMPHASIS ON THE ROLE OF DALNETRIS

The Dalnetris are the focal point of the entire system. The performance

of the whole system depends on them to a very large extent. Apart from the

maintenance of the group pass-books they must bear the duty of guiding the other

members in their investments as they are the ones who are more socially close to

them. They must be the source of propagation of rational, scientific and valuable

ideas in the community. Frequent Training Programs for the group leaders must

be organized. It would reduce the information gap between the system and the

beneficiaries and raise their knowledge level.

TRAINING CENTRES FOR THE YOUTH

The youth are the most important as well as the most vulnerable section

of the society. If not mobilized properly they very easily get involved in anti-

social and vicious activities. They need to be trained in certain activities so that

they get placed in the local or urban industries. Like electronic repairing, welding,

cyber knowledge, black-smithy, metal or cement casting, painting and decorative

etc. They could be specialized in accordance with the existent industries in the

nearby cities like Kolkata, Burdhman etc. It would provide them with an

opportunity to get jobs in local industries or start their own enterprises.

AN EFFECTIVE MEDIA FOR THE DISSEMINATION OF

INFORMATION

Sabuj Sangha operates in the areas with decentralized and scattered

populations. So to make your programs and schemes known to the common

people and in order to make them more effective, dissemination of information

among the people to raise their awareness and participation, there is a need for an

effective and permanent platform.Apart from the development of infrastructure

and new facilities it is more important to change the conventional ignorant

mindset of the people, otherwise development would be a transient one!

It could be achieved byhaving a committee to organize street-plays, or an alternative channel on the radio,

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EPILOGUE

Sabuj Jeevan Deep Prakalpa, the Sabuj Sanghasinitiative of Micro-finance has been quite successful in itsimplementation. It has provided a lot of poor village families a

chance to grow, develop and become self-reliant. With time it hasgrew grander and has disbursed loans to be used in a very largespectrum of activities. The concept of the Emergency Card is reallyvery innovative and useful!

Apart from augmenting theeconomic status of the families, it has enacted as a very vibrantplatform for women empowerment-an element which a lot ofcommunities do lack in India. Now, most of the women play asignificant role in generating the family income. Its importance canbe established from the fact that the countries in the world with thegreatest Human Development Index (HDI) are those who have a

very high sex ratio and an active involvement of women in all thespheres of the society.

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Moreover, thethree tier structure of the Microfinance system equips theorganization with a tool to implement many of its social-development strategies and in infusion of knowledge or messagesto the society. All these factors make Sabuj Jeevan Deep Prakalpa a

very unique, better to say one of its kinds!I really feel privileged to witness, study and

be a part of such a grand, effective and above all a very successfulsystem!

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report by chandra prakash - copy

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