Household Economic Security

Programme Background

95.70% of total work force of project area is involved in agriculture and animal husbandry. With the Indira Gandhi NaharPariyojna (IGNP) access to water, land productivity and income has increased but with the switch to cash crops grazing lands have started disappearing fast affecting animal husbandry.
Many farmers borrow from moneylenders at high interest rates remain in debt due to inability to repay. “We have food to eat but manage to have only roti and dal” – Dhapu Devi, village Rambagh .

There are very few options for adolescents for life skills development and relevant and locally appropriate vocational training (Children Consultations at PU and Zone level). Indian Technical Institutes (ITI) / technical training colleges are very few and exist only at Bikaner and not the tehsil level.
There are many skilled and experienced people but that could provide them a sustainable livelihood due to lack of necessary resources and opportunities.
One important issue in the local area is of lack of access to savings and credit particularly to mainstream financial institutions. Due to deep rooted patriarchy women do not have access to credit either from bank or from any other formal or informal sources. Several SHG’s have been formed in the area, but the local bankers are very lukewarm in response towards advancing loans to women groups.
To address the mentioned issues, organisation developed, implemented and monitored the project in consultation and with support from donor agency, community members, duty bearers and PRI members.

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Location

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Partners

Block Lunkaransar and Chattargarh Dist. Bikaner and Block Sardarshahar Dist. Churu.

INTERVENTIONS

a) Formation of New SHG groups.
b) Capacity building of SHG groups on managing their groups.
c) linkages of SHGs with financial institutions.
dVillage level training for new SHGs on CMMF concept, federation promotion.
e) Exposure visit for Staff on Federation Formation.
f) Village level Training of SHG members on business plan & development.
g) Formation of New Seed Bank
h) Provision of seeds & saplings of vegetables for SHG.
i) Identification & Linkages of youth (Boys) with govt. schemes
j) Training of farmers on organic agriculture.
k) Social audit by children youth groups on PDS, Mid-day-meals, MNREGA, ICDS.

IMPACT

273 men & women’s self help groups are functional with membership of 3087 men & women with a saving of INR 1,24,86,649 and borrowing within the groups is of INR 72,58,428. This year 56 new SHGs have been formed.
All SHGs as well as members have bank account
50 SHGs borrowed money from the bank to start small entrepreneurship.
54 SHGs (over 500 women) have cultivated vegetables worth INR 3, 00,000, thus not only reduced their household expense but also ensured nutritional needs in their family.
399 women of 23 groups received training on livestock management and they have also been provided livestock by leveraging funds from other organization.
31 farmers have started organic farming by using the skills proved by Plan. As a result the cultivation cost has gone down, while yield has almost double from the traditional farming. The market price of the yield was also better.
66 adolescent girls after completing their vocational trainings in tailoring & beautician course are earning between INR 72,000 to 1, 00,000 annually. Additionally over 400 girls and 100 boys on vocation skills and they have also been supported to compete for jobs in government & private sector.
87 women constructed toilets at home by borrowing money from the groups
40 SHGs have developed Code of Conduct for the group, where they have pledged their support for protection rights of children. They have pledged that group members would ensure that in their families all children are in schools, “No to Child Marriage”, “No to Child Labour” & “No Violence Against Children”.