Rural development corporation, women development corporation soon: Gogoi

By our Staff Reporter

GUWAHATI, July 2: Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi has said that a rural development corporation and a women development corporation will be constituted in the State soon. He also said that the Government would create job opportunities for 1 lakh youth through employment generation mission to ease the unemployment problem this year.

 The Chief Minister made this announcement at the State-level credit camp for SHGs organized by the Assam State Rural Livelihoods Mission (ASRLM) at Srimanta Sankaradeva Kalakshetra auditorium at Panjabari today.

Addressing women SHGs coming from different parts of the State, Gogoi said since day one the government has all along been according priority to development of villages where 80 per cent of people live.

"Our Government has been village-oriented since day one as 80 per cent of the populace lives in rural areas. Without the development of villages, the State cannot  forge ahead," he said.

Gogoi said womenfolk have to march as equal partners with men in the development process. "It augurs well for the State that lakhs and lakhs of women SHGs are coming out of the confines of their homes and supplementing the income of their families by availing loans from banks. Thanks to the women SHGs, a silent revolution is brewing in the rural areas of the State," he said.

The Chief Minister said that the Government has extended loan facilities to women SHGs so that the fair sex become more economically independent and contribute to the income of their families as well as economic development of the State. Gogoi, while laying emphasis on loan repayment on time, appreciated that women SHGs are maging their finces well and making timely loan repayment.

Gogoi said that the State Government is mulling forming of a big company for SHGs that would give the products a brand me. "Our Government is contemplating on forming a big company by organizing the SHGs in an organized way on the lines of AMUL," he said.

The Chief Minister said that the Government would create job opportunities for 1 lakh youth through employment generation mission to ease the unemployment problem this year. He appreciated the role of Assam Gramin Vikash Bank (AGVB) for the uplift of the rural poor by extending loans to SHGs under NRLM.

Speaking on the occasion, Minister for Panchayat & Rural Development, Rakibul Hussain said a silent revolution is on in the rural areas of the State with the coming up of over 3 lakh SHGs. Hussain said that with revolving fund of Rs 1 lakh as loan and 1 lakh as subsidy SHGs have helped to transform the lives of tens of thousands. Even cluster SHGs forming into village organization are getting Rs 25 lakh loan subsidy, he added.

Hussain said that 45,000 families would be benefitted through loan credit disbursement across 300 Assam Gramin Vikash Bank banks.

Chairman, AGVB, SS Singh, in his address, said the bank covers most parts of the State except two districts and it has been playing a key role in alleviation of poverty by providing credit linkage to the SHGs in the State.

Earlier in his welcome address, Mission Director, ASRLM, Nitin Khade said the State-level credit camp would extend loan facility to 3,459 SHGs amounting to Rs 20.42 crore. Khade said that the loan recovery under NRLM has been a whopping 95 per cent.

The Chief Minister gave away loan sanction letters to several women SHGs at the function.

The meeting was attended, among others, by Press Adviser to CM Bharat Chandra rah and Secretary, Panchayat & Rural Development, Ahmad Hussain.