Support for training and capacity building of clients for SHG-BLP PROGRAMME

Giving due recognition to training and capacity building of various stakeholders such as bankers, NGOs, Government officials, SHG members and trainers, NABARD has trained around 50.20 lakh participants from the Financial Inclusion Fund till 31 March 2024, in the process giving shape to a strong back up team for implementation of the programme.

Micro Enterprise Development Programme (MEDPs) and Livelihood and Enterprise Development Programmes (LEDPs)

NABARD, since 2006, has been supporting need-based skill development programmes (MEDPs) for matured SHGs which already have access to finance from Banks. MEDPs have been leveraged to impart/upgrade skills to/of SHGs to serve as a foundation for setting-up of microenterprises in farm and off farm activities. Cumulatively, 6.12 lakh SHG members have been trained through 20,822 MEDPs.

NABARD initiated the Livelihood and Enterprise Development Programme (LEDP) in 2015-16 to foster sustainable livelihoods among Self-Help Group (SHG) members by focusing on SHG clusters engaged in both farm and off-farm activities across contiguous villages. Support includes skill building, refresher training, linkages, handholding, and escort services over two credit cycles. As on 31 March 2024, 3 lakh SHG members have been supported through 2449 LEDPs with grant support of Rs.128.41 crore.

With a view to make enterprise and livelihood programmes more effective, MCID-NABARD updated the guidelines under MEDP and LEDP in 2023-24. The programmes now include JLG members as participants, provision of daily stipend to participants, additional training on market linkages, e-marketing, branding and packaging, demonstration unit, etc, and the grant assistance have also been enhanced.

MOU between NABARD and NRLM

Marking a strategic alliance to benefit rural women SHGs, NABARD and DAY-NRLM under MoRD, GoI have entered in an MoU. Under the arrangement, physical and online marketing, graduation of SHG clusters to Producer Organizations both in farm and non-farm sectors for sustainable economic activities and promotion of climate resilient agriculture for women SHGs, livelihood interventions to women SHGs in NABARD’s Wadi and Watershed development project areas along with deepening of financial inclusion etc., will be facilitated. The MoU further aims to develop new avenues for SHGs supporting through SRLMs.

Conduct of Village Level Programmes (VLPs)

With a view to foster better understanding of mutual requirements between banks, SHGs & SHPIs and to sort out issues like credit linkage and repayment etc. at ground level, Village Level Programmes (VLPs) are being conducted with the support of banks and NRLM. These VLPs sponsored by NABARD are also helping in opening of SHG accounts, their credit linkage and regular loan repayments. A total of 15794 Village Level Programmes were sponsored during 2023-24 taking the cumulative number of VLPs to 66,353.

New Initiatives

1. Support for training on onboarding onto E-Commerce platforms/ ONDC/ social media platform:

The programme includes training on online marketing platforms as also onboarding and handholding support on online/digital marketplaces, viz., E-commerce, social media platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, WhatsApp, etc. and ONDC. During the year, 65 training programmes covering 1103 SHGs/ JLGs/ POs were organized and 1264 members of SHGs/ JLGs/ POs on-boarded to ONDC. Further, to provide opportunities for online sale of products on ONDC, NABARD in association with M/s. Mystore Seller App has designed and curated a dedicated page for SHG supported by it for improved visibility of their products.

2. Support for Physical Marketing of Products:

Under the scheme, support is being extended for setting up Gram Dukans, moveable carts on stand-alone basis, stalls/ movable carts near bus stands/ railway stations/ shopping areas, outlets at AAI airports under the GoI’s AVSAR (Airport as Venue for Skilled Artisans of the Region) scheme. During the year, 31 Gram Dukans, 5 moveable carts and 9 stalls were sanctioned to support the marketing needs of 5261 members of SHGs/ JLGs/ POs.

3. Microenterprises through Skill Upgradation for Women (m-Suwidha)

m-Suwidha scheme has been launched as a pilot to implement projects under DPR mode with the objective of providing sustainable livelihood solutions in farm and off-farm sector by identifying skill gaps, occupational fitments, choosing suitable professions/ activities, providing skills through identified Knowledge Partners/Resource Agencies along with marketing tie-ups and credit support from banks/financial institutions.

4. NABARD has also initiated two additional pilots viz.

(i) Money Purse Application for real-time banking solution for SHGs. It is expected that SHG members will be facilitated to undertake various financial activities including account opening (both group and individual), savings and loan collections, credit linkage, internal loan disbursement, real-time book keeping, and grading - all facilitated by BCs in digital mode and

(ii) Graduated Rural Income generation Project (GRIP) to build capacities and enable asset generation by ultra-poor rural women and graduating them to access formal financial services through the innovative concept of returnable grant