Question : NABARD Schemes for Women

(a) whether schemes/programmes are being implemented for the welfare of women in rural areas by National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD);
(b) if so, the details thereof during the last three years and the current year, Statewise including Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Maharashtra;
(c) the number of women benefited along with the total funds allocated for the said schemes/programmes during the said period, State-wise; and
(d) the steps taken for providing assistance to women by NABARD especially women of backward tribal areas across the country?

Answer given by the minister

THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF FINANCE

(a) to (d): National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) is implementing various programmes for welfare of women in rural areas which, inter-alia, include:

1. Self Help Group (SHG) Programme:
NABARD has been extending grant support to partner agencies for promotion and nurturing of SHGs, for training and capacity building of SHG members and other stake holders, beside initiating special programme for backward regions. The domain of SHGs consist of 85.2 percent women groups.

NABARD implements the SHG Bank linkage programme linking SHGs with banks for saving and credit facilities.

As on 31 March 2019, 100.14 lakh SHGs are savings linked, out of which 85.31 lakh are exclusive women SHGs. Besides, 50.77 lakh SHGs which includes 44.61 lakh women SHGs are having loan outstanding to the tune of about Rs. 87,000 crore.

State wise details of saving linked SHGs and SHGs having bank loan outstanding, during the last 3 years are at Annexure I and II

2. Women Self Help Group (WSHG):
Ministry of Finance, Government of India has set up a “Women Self Help Group Development Fund” to implement a ‘Scheme for promotion of Women SHGs in Left wing Extremism Affected and Backward districts of India’.

As on 31.03.2019, the cumulative funds released by NABARD towards grant assistance, training, capacity building and other initiatives, out of this fund, stood at Rs. 132.91 crore. Progress under WSHG scheme for the last 3 years is given in Annexure III.

3. Micro Enterprise Development Programme (MEDP) :
NABARD has been supporting skill and entrepreneurship training to SHG members through MEDP since March 2006. Cumulatively, around 4.94 lakh SHG members, mostly women members, have received training through 17276 MEDPs as on 31 March 2019. State wise details of support provided by NABARD under MEDP during the last 3 years are at Annexure IV.

4. Livelihood and Enterprise Development Programme (LEDPs):
Objective of the project is to create sustainable livelihoods and to attain optimum benefit for SHG members through skill up gradation, continued hand holding till establishment of livelihoods. Cumulatively 61033 SHG members have been supported through 532 LEDP programmes with grant sanction of Rs.2283.86 lakh from NABARD upto March 2019. State wise details of support provided by NABARD under LEDP during the last 3 years are at Annexure V.

5. Farmers Producer Organizations (FPOs):
NABARD is implementing various schemes for betterment of rural population irrespective of gender. For promotion of FPOs, farmer members to both men and women are mobilized and incorporated during formation of FPOs. Though there is no specific scheme for the welfare of women in promotion and nurturing of FPOs, however there are total 3.33 lakh women shareholders out of 10.32 lakh shareholders.

6. Tribal Development Fund (TDF):
Under TDF, a family is the basic unit considered for assistance. However, activities such as women development, health are focussed on women which include activities like SHG formation, health camps, vaccination etc. Organisational structure envisaged under TDF viz the Village Planning Committee (VPC) and the Project Level Tribal Development Committee (PTDC) has a provision for due representation of women (minimum 30%).

7. Exhibitions & Melas:
NABARD has been providing opportunities to women entrepreneurs to show case their skills through a marketing platform in the exhibition /melas sponsored by NABARD in various States. A sizeable number of participants in such exhibitions are women. The number of exhibitions/ melas and total funds utilised during the last three years are as under:
(Rs in crore)
No of exhibitions/Melas Total funds
2016-17 220 3.68
2017-18 247 4.04
2018-19 396 5.26

8. RURAL HAAT / MART
Around 50% of the Rural Marts sanctioned in Maharashtra, U.P. & Rajasthan have 100% women participation.
Rural Haats
(Rs in crore)
No of Rural Haats Total funds sanctioned
2016-17 19 1.92
2017-18 36 3.46
2018-19 64 6.04

Rural Marts (Rs in crore)
Number Total funds sanctioned
2016-17 76 2.09
2017-18 66 1.85
2018-19 94 2.55

9. Off-Farm Producer Organisations (OFPOs)

The objective of OFPOs is to promote collectivisation of rural artisans so as to make them strong enough to take up business activities, through capacity building, business planning, and development of marketing linkages. As on 31 March 2019, 25 OFPO projects to the tune of ? 832.25 lakh were sanctioned in 16 states. Five of these OFPOs are exclusively for women. Activities include handloom, handicraft, Minor Forest Produce, Micro enterprise etc. The women beneficiaries range from 10 to 100 % in these projects.
As informed by NABARD, State-wise disaggregated data on women beneficiaries under the above said schemes are not centrally maintained.
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