numerous foot soldiers spread over all nooks and corners of the
country it required anchoring on a scale never done before. Those
were the days of hectic activity filled with massive promotional
campaigns, capacity building and training exercises, exposure
visits driven by the innate belief that this microfinance product
could change millions of lives. The success of the programme can
also be adjudged from the fact that SHGs not only got recognition
from banks and the RBI but became a vehicle for convergence. A
large number of stakeholders started using SHGs as vehicles of
social sector services. There are numerous examples of NGOs and
Government departments using the SHG platform for delivery of
social sector interventions. Many Governments later also utilised
the SHGs for poverty alleviation interventions. NABARD salutes
all these stake holders of the SHG movement.
This synergy between all the stakeholders has resulted in a
vibrant community of 8.6 million SHGs today with savings
balances of Rs 16,114 Cr. During 2016-17, bank loans worth Rs
38,781 Cr were disbursed to 1.9 million SHGs taking the credit
outstanding to Rs 61,581 Cr. The year-on-year increase shows the
fundamental strength of the concept. NABARD has taken upon
itself to rejuvenate the SHGprogramme with focus on Digitisation
of SHGs through its E-Shakti initiative in 24 districts, besides
other steps. The GOI’s flagship poverty alleviation programme
viz. National Rural Livelihood Mission has made large strides
and taken up more than half the country’s blocks for intensive
implementation emerging as a major player in the SHG space.
On the occasion of the silver jubilee of the SHG movement,
NABARD reached out to some of the key stake holders and
contributors of the vibrant SHG Movement, who have kindly
pennedtheir thoughtsonthe journeyso farandway forwardwhich
are documented in this publication. I thank all these champions
of SHG movement for continuing to guide the upscaling of this
women-centric financial inclusion and livelihood movement.
