a) whether the Union Government is considering to revamp Rashtriya Mahila Kosh and scrap Women Self Help Groups;
b) if so, the details thereof and the reasons therefor;
c) the extent to which this new scheme is beneficial; and
d) the time by which final decision in this regard is likely to be taken?
MINISTER OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT
(SHRIMATI MANEKA SANJAY GANDHI)
(a) & (b) Rashtriya Mahila Kosh (RMK), an autonomous body under the Ministry of Women and Child Development, provides collateral free/third party guarantee micro-credit to poor women through NGOs/IMOs for livelihood income generating activities. The loans are given at concessional rate of interest.
The loans have been sanctioned/released to the women beneficiaries through following schemes of RMK:
i) Loan promotion scheme
ii) Main Loan Scheme
iii) Refinance Scheme
iv) Franchisee Scheme
v) Gold Credit Card Scheme
vi) Housing Loan Scheme
vii) Working Capital Term Loan (WCTL)
In furtherance of the above said objective following measures have also been taken recently:
i) During the past 2 years period, the Rate of Interest (RoI) of RMK loans has been revised downward twice. Firstly, w.e.f 01.04.2013, maximum RoI chargeable by RMK to NGO was reduced from 8 % to 6 %. In the same analogy, the RoI chargeable by NGOs to the end beneficiaries (SHG/Women entrepreneurs) has been reduced from 18% to 14 %. The RoI chargeable by NGOs to the end beneficiaries has been further reduced from 14 % to 10 %.
ii) ‘Mahila-E-Haat’, an online marketing platform has been launched on 7th March, 2016, to enhance the marketing prospects of the products manufactured by the beneficiaries. This is expected to empower and strengthen financial inclusion of women entrepreneurs in the economy by providing continued sustenance and support to their creativity.
(c) Indian Society for Agribusiness Professionals, (ISAP) New Delhi, an independent organization evaluated the socio-economic impact of RMK loan on improvement in the living condition of poor women beneficiaries. This study has been performed in 9 states (A.P, Assam, Delhi, M.P, Maharashtra, Odisha, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal). The scope of this study included - In-depth Interaction with Intermediary Organizations (IMOs) and to assess socio-economic impact on women SHGs. The findings of the said impact study are given at Annexure 1.
Since April 2012, 29,545 women have benefited under various loan schemes of RMK.
(d) Does not arise.
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