Shillong ( Meghalaya), Feb 10 : The functioning of Self Help Groups (SHG) has drastically transformed the lives of women in Meghalaya. The SHGs have provided a valuable opportunity to women to become entrepreneurs and job providers for others.
Till 2017-18, only 5800 SHGs were formed with an allocation of Rs 6.31 crores benefiting around 60,000 households.
The MDA Government has identified the need to expand the reach of SHGs and in the past 4 years, has laid extensive emphasis on empowerment of women through SHGs under NRLM. With the Government’s continued efforts, 32,000 new SHGs have been formed, registering a five fold jump in the last four years.
The disbursement to the SHG has seen a 15-fold jump to Rs. 96 crores since 2018, thereby benefitting 3.1 lakh new households in the state. The scheme intends to support the beneficiaries through easy access to credit, initial start-up funding, training facilities, market linkage support, and various other interventions.
In the year 2021, a mela dedicated solely to SHGs was held at Rapleng village in East Khasi Hills. Chief Minister Conrad Sangma, who had attended the event, highlighted the importance of SHGs across the state and its direct benefit in uplifting the socio-economic conditions of women-led organizations. Many such SHG Melas are being organised across the state.
Till date, Rs. 110 crores have been disbursed to nearly 38,000 SHGs benefiting 3.7 lakh households in the state o. The sincere efforts of the government over the past four years, have resulted in creating a generation of women entrepreneurs in Meghalaya.
