Nabard assistance for self-help groups

Statesman News Service

MALDA, Dec. 19: The national bank for agriculture and rural development (Nabard) is looking for non-government organisations to market the products manufactured by the self-help groups in the state. “We are facing difficulties in finding out NGOs for the systematic marketing of the products manufactured by the self-help groups,” Mr Ganesh Tawte, chief general manager, Nabard, told The Statesman. “Only one NGO, namely Ichchhamati, is working for the marketing of the produces of the self-help groups, whereas we have enlisted nearly 200 NGOs to promote these products in the state,” Mr Tawte, said. He added that Nabard is on the lookout for the NGOs to help the SHGs survive in the market.“We have decided to form several joint liability groups (JLGs) for the survival of the SHGs.A five-member JLG team would be getting financial support from the Nabard, ranging from Rs 1 lakh to Rs 5 lakh, at the initial stage,” Mr Tawte, said He added that local products have no value in the state, but are being preferred in other metropolitan cities, such as New Delhi, Chennai and Mumbai. “We need to get some NGOs to display the Bengal products, such as saris, bamboo and jute crafts, terracotta, dokra and other items in the national market,” Mr Taate, said. Mr Tawte reached here on a two-day visit on 17 December to inaugurate a branch of the Nabard at Balurghat in South Dinajpur.He also reviewed the progress made by the self-help groups formed mainly by women, said Mr Sukumar Chattopadhayay, Malda district development manager, Nabard. Mr Chattopadhayay said that Mr Twate interacted with the women members of the SHGs and reviewed the capacity building programme carried out by the Nabard in Malda district. The officials met the members of the NGOs who are working to promote the SHGs and inaugurated some small manufacturing projects at 16 Mile and Baishnabnagar village in Kaliachak III block. They also visited Vivekananda Farmers’ Club at Mayna in Gazole and Barind Development Society in Habibpur block to oversee the progress of jute and bamboo diversification programmes.