• Prime Minister Narendra Modi transferred Rs 1,000 crore to bank accounts of self help groups at a programme in Prayagraj to benefit around 16 lakh women.

• The amount was transferred under the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana-National Rural Livelihood Mission (DAY-NRLM).

• Modi also released over Rs 20 crore to more than 1 lakh beneficiaries under the ‘Mukhya Mantri Kanya Sumangala Scheme’, which provides conditional cash transfer to a girl child at different stages of her life. 

• The PM laid the foundation stone of 202 supplementary nutrition manufacturing units in 43 districts. These units are being funded by SHGs and will be constructed at a cost of around Rs 1 crore a unit.

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).

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