Centre committed to empower SHGs: Tomar

Speed Post News Network

New Delhi : The government on December 23 renewed its commitment for strengthening the Women Self-Help Groups ( SHGs) n movement in the country to eradicate rural poverty and to achieve overall development of village economy. The Minister for Rural Development Narendra Singh Tomar said that Centre is taking all the steps for effective and decentralised marketing of SHG products in the country. He said the government will soon announce a scheme to organize the largest ever Haat in Delhi where SHGs can bring in and sell their products at reasonable prices.

Speaking at a function here to give the first ever awards to the best performing SHGs and village organizations, the Minister said that PM Narendra Modi is standing solidly behind this concept and he earnestly desires the expansion of Self Help Group movement in the country. At present there are 29 lakh SHGs in the country with a membership of over 3.4 crore women as active participants. Tomar said that the Centre is spending Rs 3,000 crore per year for the capacity building programmes of the SHGs and banks almost disburse Rs 30,000 crore as loans to these groups, according to a PIB release.