Poverty Reduction through Self-Help Groups

06 January 2023, Hazaribagh-Ramgarh-Ranchi-Khunti-Patna: The very concept of SHGs was introduced in Jharkhand by NBJK with women of Hazaribagh in the year 1991 after intense survey and study. Initially the organization has invited some consultants from Bangladesh also to establish the programme.

Now it has been spread up to villages in 12 blocks of Hazaribagh, Ramgarh, Ranchi, Khunti districts and 15 slums of Patna in Jharkhand-Bihar.

NBJK works with men’s groups also and the programme is called as Poverty Reduction through Self-Help Groups. It covers formation & promotion of women’s SHGs as well as men’s Joint Liability Groups/JLGs, ensures their internal saving and encourages livelihood activities by group members.

PRTSHG offers small financial support for common people to strengthen their petty businesses and provides doorstep service. Currently it runs total 730 women SHGs with 16490 members and 570 SHGs with 5484 members have availed micro credit while 289 JLGs with 1258 male members are beneficiaries of the programme.

The service goes to total 6742 borrowers and some of them are engaged with new kinds of business like event management, beauty parlor etc besides traditional trades. Their cumulative repayment rate is 91% after two consequent years eclipsed by Covid.