Amid the fight against coronavirus pandemic, women self help groups (SHGs) under Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana-National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM) have stepped up as effective frontline responders to ensure relief to rural communities.

These women SHGs emerged as a strong task force in producing several quality products like masks, protective gear kits, sanitisers and hand wash across the country.

As on August 14, 2020, around 318,413 SHG members were involved in the manufacturing of face masks, protective kits and sanitising products. 

Women SHG members across India have produced around 23.07 crore face masks, 1.02 lakh litres of hand wash and over 4.79 lakh litres of sanitiser resulting in an estimated business turnover of Rs 903 crore. While most of the businesses in the country were at halt during the lockdown, these rural women made an estimated additional income of around Rs 29,000 each. 

Products were procured and distributed by the local administration to various stakeholders. While addressing the need, these women SHGs have set up an example and earned an additional income.   

Some of the women SHGs are involved in running community kitchens, serving cooked meals to over 5.72 crore vulnerable community members. 

Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana-National Rural Livelihoods Mission

Aajeevika-National Rural Livelihoods Mission (NRLM) was launched by the ministry of rural development in June 2011. 

It was later renamed as Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana-National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM).

The Mission is for creating efficient and effective institutional platforms for the rural poor enabling them to increase household income through sustainable livelihood enhancements and improved access to financial services. 

It seeks to reach out to 8-9 crore rural poor households and organise one woman member from each household into affinity-based women self help groups (SHGs) and federations at village level and at higher levels. It will then provide them long-term support to diversify their livelihoods, improve their incomes and quality of life.

Significance of women SHGs

SHGs are homogenous groups of 5-20 women which function on the principles of mutual cooperation and collective action. These SHGs are federated at the village/gram panchayat, cluster and block level. The institutions provide services (savings, credit, livelihood support) to their members that help them strengthen and sustain livelihoods. 

As the SHGs and their federations mature, they create a strong demand system on behalf of members. These institutions of the poor are designed to create their own human, social, financial resources. Linkages with mainstream institutions such as banks, local governance bodies, and government bodies help them address different dimensions of poverty. These measures enable members to improve their access to entitlements, rights, resources and livelihood opportunities. 

Objectives of DAY-NRLM are:

* Promotion of sustainable institutions of the poor.

* Ensuring access to financial services.

* Promote diversified livelihood opportunities for the poor, in farm and non-farm sectors.

* Promotion of skill development and access to jobs.

* Promotion of social inclusion, social development and human development.

There are many components under DAY-NRLM, including Mahila Kisan Sashaktikaran Pariyojana (MKSP) and Startup Village Entrepreneurship Programme (SVEP).

Achievements of the Mission

Geographical Coverage: The Mission has covered 5,894 blocks spread over 646 districts under the intensive strategy till October 2019. 

Social Mobilisation/Institution Building: More than 6.47 crore women have been mobilised into 58.7 lakh SHGs till October 2019. 

Social Capital: Community driven approach is central to the Mission’s implementation strategy. More than 2.50 lakh Community Resource Persons have been trained on multiple interventions. This includes more than 38,032 trained Krishi Sakhi and Pashu Sakhi who provide last mile livelihoods extension services.

Capitalisation Support: Cumulatively, about Rs 8,334.7 crore has been provided as capitalization support under the mission till October 2019.

SHG-Bank Linkage: More than Rs 2.59 lakh crore of bank credit has been accessed by the SHGs since 2013-14.

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