May, 2015

WEST BENGAL STATE RURAL LIVELIHOODS MISSION

AN OVERVIEW

PANCHAYATS AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT

GOVERNMENT OF WEST BENGAL
 West Bengal State Rural Livelihoods Mission: An Overview

INTRODUCTION:
The National Rural Livelihoods Mission (NRLM), the flagship programme of
Ministry of Rural Development, Government of India is a major anti-poverty programme
generating self-employment for the rural poor by organizing women into Self Help Groups
(SHGs).

The major strategic interventions in the programme are universal social mobilization,
forming and strengthening of SHGs and their federations, capacity building, financial
inclusion, access to credit, skill development and taking up different livelihoods options with
provisions for technological as well as marketing support. NRLM believes that the poor have
the innate capacity and strong desire to come out of poverty and if capacitated through some
sensitive support structures, this can become a reality.

With this vision, West Bengal State Rural Livelihoods Mission has been formed and
registered as a society (on 10th May 2012) under the West Bengal Societies Registration Act,
1961, under the Panchayats and Rural Development Department, Government of West
Bengal. The flagship program has been launched in the State on 17th May 2012 by Hon’ble
Chief Minister as Anandadhara.

However, the SHG movement in West Bengal predates NRLM and under the
previous SGSY programme, SHGs were nurtured by the District Rural Development Cell
(DRDC). The activities of WBSRLM covers support to the women SHGs formed and
nurtured under SGSY as well which have been taken under the NRLM fold.

SHG Members in a meeting

SHG FOOTPRINT IN WEST BENGAL:
Recently a huge exercise was undertaken by WBSRLM for creating a directory of the
SHGs and their members in the whole state. The provisional reports generated from collating
the database from the districts reveal the following:

No. of No. of No. of

District No. of SHGs
Upa - Sanghas Sanghas Maha - Sanghas
Cooch Behar 18457 1525 128 1
Birbhum 22887 1610 167 5
Purba Medinipur 29240 2416 223 15
Jalpaiguri 15613 961 86 2
Alipurduar 10897 702 66 0
Malda 17166 1191 146 1
Purulia 19899 1719 168 2
South 24 Parganas 22966 2257 235 0
Bankura 22775 1730 179 1
Burdwan 21569 2052 199 2
Dakshin Dinajpur 12380 924 65 4
Darjeeling (GTA) 2417 483 76 0
Hooghly 35246 1038 115 1
Howrah 12623 1108 128 5
North 24 Parganas 22169 1953 164 0
Siliguri MP 4015 256 22 0
Uttar Dinajpur 11744 948 98 9
Paschim Medinipur 30656 2756 258 5
Nadia 41278 1584 185 0
Murshidabad 38538 2590 222 0
TOTAL 412535* 29803 2930 53
*Provisional Data from SHG Database (WBSRLM)
To strengthen the legal status of SHG institutions, it has been decided to register the
Sanghas under the West Bengal State Cooperative Society Act.

Meeting for Sangha Formation

 Under NRLM, in order to mobilize and consolidate women of poor households into
SHGs, eight districts were initially identified as “Intensive” where special thrust would be
given through additional support. Further, within these eight intensive districts, thirty two
blocks (four blocks in each district) have been chosen as Intensive Blocks. Out of these four
intensive blocks, one has been identified as a Resource Block where all interventions under
NRLM will be concentrated and which will be a model for the district in particular and the
state in the long run. However with the bifurcation of Jalpaiguri into Alipurduar and
Jalpaiguri districts, the number of intensive districts in the state now stands at nine. Though
the number of districts has changed, the number of intensive blocks remains the same and the
number of intensive blocks in Jalpaiguri and Alipurduar has become two each.

For the remaining 11 Non-Intensive Districts (including Siliguri Mahakuma Parishad)

WBSRLM approached the Ministry of Rural Development for allowing 11 blocks (one in
each non-intensive district) to be identified as a Model Block through NGO partnership or
Sangha/Maha-Sangha partnership, to cater to the need of nurturing local models in intensive
mode in the state as best practice sites. This has been approved by Ministry of Rural
Development (MoRD) and work has already been started in this regard.

BLOCKS UNDER NRLM AND NRLP – THE FINAL PICTURE

NRLP
135 Blocks in 9 Intensive Districts
32 Intensive Blocks:
 8 Resource Blocks
 1 Model Partnership Block with NGO
(Baghmundi) which is also Intensive
 23 General Intensive Blocks
103 Non-Intensive Blocks
NRLM
206 Blocks in 11 Non-Intensive Districts
11 Home-grown Model Blocks:
 5 Model Blocks with NGO
 6 Model Blocks with Maha-
Sangha/Sangha
195 Non-Intensive Blocks

MAJOR ACTIVITIES OF WBSRLM INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING:

 RESOURCE BLOCK STRATEGY:

WBSRLM has signed MoUs with Society for Elimination of Rural Poverty (SERP)
Andhra Pradesh and SERP Telegana (National Resource Organisations) in April 2014 and
February 2015 respectively to provide implementation support 2014-15. The implementation
has been started in Patharpratima in South 24 Parganas and Manikchak in Malda. A scoping
study for implementing resource block strategy at Simlapal in Bankura has been completed as
well.
 CAPACITY BUILDING:
Capacity building of community cadres and mission staf at various levels through
different identified modes is one of the most important functions of WBSRLM. The target
groups include SHG members, office bearers of their institutions including Upa-Sanghas,
Sanghas and Maha-Sanghas. A major thrust has been given in building capacity of
community cadres so that SHGs and their institutions receive constant support from among
their own community members. For this, a pool of District Level Trainers (DLT) at the rate
of 2 per block as well as 3 Community Service Providers per Gram Panchayat on an average
are being identified and their capacity being built. The current status of the engagement of
community cadres in the State is given in the table below:

Type of Community Cadre Required Recruited

District Level Trainer (DLT) 682 590
Community Service Provider (CSP) 8372 5414

 CAPITALIZATION OF SHGS AND SHG BASED INSTITUTIONS:

In the past, the State has supported the setting up of 12 community financial
institutions, run by the Maha Sangha (Block Level) of women SHG members. The following
table shows the present status of these institutions:
Rs. in Lakhs
Sl Seed Capital Total
Name of the Mahila Bank
No Given Rolled
1 Tamluk Block Mahila Bikash Cooperative Society 40.00 858.05
2 Amta-I Sampriti Mahila Mahasangha 40.00 531.93
3 Amta-II Udayan Mahila Mahasangha 40.00 203.60
4 Ausgram-II Mahila Mahasangha 40.00 344.62
5 Raina-I Block Mahila Mahasangha 20.00 63.30
6 Jhargram Aranya Sundari Mahila Mahasangha 40.00 465.34
7 Kharagpur-I Mahasakti Mahasangha 20.00 140.41
8 Dhupguri Block Mahila Mahasangha 40.00 235.52
9 Moynaguri Block Mahila Mahasangha 40.00 202.07
10 Dinhata-I Block Mahila Cooperative Credit Society 40.00 193.47
11 Illambazar Barnamala Mahila Mahasangha 25.00 189.88
12 Bolpur-Sriniketan Block Mahila Mahasangha 40.00 12.15
Total 425.00 3440.34

Under NRLM, the Sanghas of the intensive blocks have received Community
Investment Fund (CIF). The SHGs in the state, irrespective of whether from intensive or non-
intensive blocks/districts are receiving Revolving Fund (RF) or Pragati Fund (PF) @ Rs.
15000/ SHG. The following table shows the total amount released by the state as CIF to
Sanghas and RF/PF to SHGs.

Total CIF Disbursed Total RF/PF Disbursed

In 2014-15 In 2014-15
(Amount in Rs. Lakhs) (Amount in Rs. Lakhs)
2694.00 2762.25

 FINANCIAL INCLUSION / BANK LINKAGE:

Facilitation of eligible SHGs to receive credit from formal institutions is an important
function of Financial Inclusion under NRLM and is being pursued in right earnest by
WBSRLM at all levels. SLBC was pursued to issue common Guidelines for appraisal, rating
and disbursal of credits to SHGs. To make credit accessible to the SHGs at large, engagement
of a special type of Community Cadre in the name of CSP (Bank Linkage) by each Sangha &
placing them at the Bank branches for facilitating SHG-Bank Linkage has been initiated.
Further, to facilitate the repayment of credit taken by SHGs, the Community Based
Repayment / Recovery Mechanism (CBRM) has also been triggered. The physical progress
in SHG-Bank linkage under NRLM is as follows:

Target – 2014-15 Achievement up to 31st March 2015

% Achievement
under NRLM No. of SHGs Credit Disbursed
Rs. 1018.80 Crores 1,29,343 Rs. 989.52 Crores 97.13%

The average amount of Bank credit per SHG has increased from Rs. 72,000/- in
March 2014 to Rs.87000/- as on December, 2014 in the State. With a view to making higher
doses of bank credit available to SHGs progressively, the amount of various doses/slabs of
credit has been increased with the approval of SLBC.

 MARKETING:
WBSRLM pursues the marketing of SHG
products in right earnest. Apart from traditional
artisans, many SHG members have undergone
skill development training under SGSY and
NRLM. As a result, there are a large number of
SHG members who now produce different
articles/consumer goods. WBSRLM facilitates
the participation of SHG members in Melas
across the country to showcase, promote and sell
their products. WBSRLM also organizes the
Saras Mela annually. Additionally, WBSRLM is also setting up infrastructure at the State,
District and Block level for marketing outlets for SHG products.

 LIVELIHOOD INTERVENTIONS:
Livelihoods initiative like Mahila Kisan Sashaktikaran Pariyojana (MKSP) is being
implemented through Public Private Partnership Mode (experienced NGOs being partnered
with) in the state. An MKSP-Agriculture project is being implemented in 11 blocks of
Birbhum, Purulia, Uttar Dinajpur, Dakshin Dinajpur, Jalpaiguri and Alipurduar districts.
Another MKSP-NTFP project for promotion of tassar based livelihoods is being
implemented (with support from Central Silk Board and MoRD, Government of India) in two
blocks (Binpur-I and Nayagram) of Paschim Medinipur and one block (Ranibandh) in
Bankura district.

Another agriculture related initiative -

Community Managed Sustainable Agriculture
(CMSA) is being implemented in two districts
(South 24 Parganas and Malda) of different agro-
climatic zones through the support of CMSA Cell,
NIRD, Hyderabad. Under this initiative women
farmers are being trained on low input cost
involved ecological agriculture to sustain
agriculture based livelihood.
WBSRLM is also creating para professionals from amongst SHG members who will
support community through the Sanghas. Prani Mitra, Community Cadre for providing
animal husbandry related services at the doorstep of farmers are being developed in 313
Gram Panchayats under 32 intensive blocks (one Prani Mitra in each GP).
 WBSRLM in collaboration with the Comprehensive Area Development Corporation
under Panchayat and Rural Development Programme will implement different on farm
livelihood initiatives.

 CONVERGENCE ACTIVITIES WITH OTHER DEPARTMENTS:

WBSRLM has engaged with various line departments for involving the SHGs in
various kinds of activities. Over the years this advocacy has seen significant progress in the
following fields:
1. HEALTH DEPARTMENT: Diet Supply in the hospitals, Supply of maternity pads to
hospital, Supply of sanitary napkins under adolescent health programme
2. SCHOOL EDUCATION DEPARTMENT: Mid Day Meal, School Uniform.

Mid-day Meal Programme Supply of school uniforms

3. PANCHAYATS AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT: Mission Nirmal

Bangla, MGNREGS, running canteens etc.

SHG running SAHAY, a scheme for food security nutrition of destitute persons

4. WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT AND SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT:

Supply of food grains and lentils etc for ICDS Centres, Supply of supplementary nutrition
items (poushtik laddu etc.)

IN THE PIPELINE
(A) Initiative on Anti-Human Trafficking, (B) Livelihood Development Programme for
Lepcha (ST) Community (C) Pilot Project for Elderly SHGs (D) Community Auditors
(E) Apna Bazaar – Market development by SHG institutions (F) Pilot Initiative on
Special Project for the workers of Closed Tea Gardens (G) Toll free Help Line for
SHGs.
 Intensive Districts
under NRLM

ANANDADHARA
West Bengal State Rural Livelihoods Mission
11th Floor, Saltee Tech Park, Block-DN-18, Sector V,
Salt Lake City, Kolkata - 700 091
Phone : 033 2367 3711 / 3721 / 3731, Fax : 033 2367 3741,
Website : anandadhara.org || e-mail : wbsrlm@gmail.com