WELCOMEWELCOME

District Rural Development District Rural Development CellCell

Uttar DinajpurUttar Dinajpur West BengalWest Bengal

UTTAR DINAJPURUTTAR DINAJPUR Based on parameters like Child Mortality, Literacy, Based on parameters like Child Mortality, Literacy,

School enrolment, per capita income, status of School enrolment, per capita income, status of health & Education, the District of Uttar Dinajpur health & Education, the District of Uttar Dinajpur ranked 13th among the 18 districts under study in ranked 13th among the 18 districts under study in West Bengal (West Bengal Human Development West Bengal (West Bengal Human Development Report, 2004). Report, 2004).

Social Status of Women in the District is very poor Social Status of Women in the District is very poor with women literacy at 37%, which is the 2nd with women literacy at 37%, which is the 2nd lowest in the state (ibid). lowest in the state (ibid).

Economic backwardness of this agrarian district as Economic backwardness of this agrarian district as a whole compels massive out-migration, especially a whole compels massive out-migration, especially

in the lean season.in the lean season.

Pandeypur Swarnajayanti Mahila Pandeypur Swarnajayanti Mahila DalDal – An SHG formed with – An SHG formed with

members from Schedule Tribe members from Schedule Tribe Families of a remote Tribal Families of a remote Tribal

Village of Karandighi – I Gram Village of Karandighi – I Gram Panchayat under Karandighi Panchayat under Karandighi

Development Block of Islampur Development Block of Islampur Sub-division of Uttar Dinajpur Sub-division of Uttar Dinajpur

District.District.

Background:Background:Members belonged to the BPL families, who used to Members belonged to the BPL families, who used to

earn their livelihood solely from Wage-earning earn their livelihood solely from Wage-earning leading to less than sustenance level of income!leading to less than sustenance level of income!

They had had only their homestead land apart from They had had only their homestead land apart from few decimals of unirrigated cultivable land!!few decimals of unirrigated cultivable land!!

Their lives were marked by illiteracy, seclusion and Their lives were marked by illiteracy, seclusion and abject poverty with least regard to good sanitary abject poverty with least regard to good sanitary and health practices!!!and health practices!!!

Trite, taboo and prejudice were the part and parcel of Trite, taboo and prejudice were the part and parcel of their daily life!!!!their daily life!!!!

The male members of the families were sunk into The male members of the families were sunk into country liquior throughout days.country liquior throughout days.

Once a lady from a local NGO visited the families Once a lady from a local NGO visited the families and told them about the importance of forming the and told them about the importance of forming the SHG in general and the Swarnajayanti Gram SHG in general and the Swarnajayanti Gram Swarojgar Yojona, in particular! Swarojgar Yojona, in particular!

The members learned her lessons but did not believe The members learned her lessons but did not believe all what were told!!all what were told!!

Furthermore, the males of the families were reluctant Furthermore, the males of the families were reluctant to allow their wives attending meetings & talking to to allow their wives attending meetings & talking to others outside their own familiar domain.others outside their own familiar domain.

The lady visited them repeatedly and with the help of The lady visited them repeatedly and with the help of local Gram Panchayat, Block they succeeded in local Gram Panchayat, Block they succeeded in overcoming all the obstacles & at last formed the overcoming all the obstacles & at last formed the SHG in September, 2003 with 10 BPL members, SHG in September, 2003 with 10 BPL members, all belonging to ST category !!!all belonging to ST category !!!

Pandeypur Swarnajayanti Mahila DalPandeypur Swarnajayanti Mahila Dal

Secretary (group leader) : Secretary (group leader) : Smt. Tultuli MurmuSmt. Tultuli Murmu

Koskadhakshaya (treasurer): Koskadhakshaya (treasurer): Smt. Gouri MurmuSmt. Gouri Murmu

Bank:Bank: State Bank of India, Karandighi Br. State Bank of India, Karandighi Br.

Cash Credit Account Opened on 07/12/2004 with Cash Credit Account Opened on 07/12/2004 with a C/C limit of Rs. 16000/- where DRDC subsidy a C/C limit of Rs. 16000/- where DRDC subsidy was only Rs. 5000/- was only Rs. 5000/-

Support from DRDC, UDZPSupport from DRDC, UDZP In mid 2004, RF of Rs. 5000.00 as 1In mid 2004, RF of Rs. 5000.00 as 1stst dose was dose was

released. After 1 year, the 2released. After 1 year, the 2ndnd dose of RF of Rs. dose of RF of Rs. 15000.00 was released.15000.00 was released.

Rs. 50,000.00 was given for construction of Rs. 50,000.00 was given for construction of Piggery shade in 2005Piggery shade in 2005

On successful running of piggery project for 3 On successful running of piggery project for 3 years, the proposal of the group for venturing into years, the proposal of the group for venturing into new activity of poultry was accepted and Rs. 1.57 new activity of poultry was accepted and Rs. 1.57 Lakh was given for building of Brooding House.Lakh was given for building of Brooding House.

The group has already passed the 2The group has already passed the 2ndnd Grading Grading Test and the process of Project Linkage is in the Test and the process of Project Linkage is in the pipe line. pipe line.

Initially, the group bought two pigs- both of Initially, the group bought two pigs- both of Ghungru Ghungru variety – at a cost of Rs. 1200.00. variety – at a cost of Rs. 1200.00. Residual amount of Rs. 14800.00 was kept Residual amount of Rs. 14800.00 was kept as reserve for procuring food items and as reserve for procuring food items and other things for the days ahead.other things for the days ahead.

After a gap of 6 months, 8 piglets were born. After a gap of 6 months, 8 piglets were born. All the piglets were sold out after three All the piglets were sold out after three months at a price of Rs1000.00 per piglet, months at a price of Rs1000.00 per piglet, yielding a high return. This incident served yielding a high return. This incident served as a big moral booster for the group as a big moral booster for the group members.members.

They have got the self-confidence that They have got the self-confidence that they can do a great thing on they can do a great thing on themselves & even without the help themselves & even without the help from their male-counters.from their male-counters.

With this taste of success, they went on With this taste of success, they went on rolling the business of piggery with rolling the business of piggery with more vigour & profits continued more vigour & profits continued coming in, though the business was coming in, though the business was limited to a small scale.limited to a small scale.

Then the DRDC, UDZP came forward Then the DRDC, UDZP came forward and built a brooding house for rearing and built a brooding house for rearing of poultry/ broiler.of poultry/ broiler.

The brooding house remained unused for The brooding house remained unused for three years- from 2007 to the early part of three years- from 2007 to the early part of 2010- when the group was indecisive as 2010- when the group was indecisive as how to start the poultry venture.how to start the poultry venture.

Then the District unit of Then the District unit of Animal Resource Animal Resource Development Department Development Department came in. The came in. The Department entrusted the group with a task Department entrusted the group with a task of rearing about 1200 chicks of 1 or 2 of rearing about 1200 chicks of 1 or 2 day(s) old for 28 days at a cost of rearing day(s) old for 28 days at a cost of rearing of Rs. 2.00 per chick, when the chicks were of Rs. 2.00 per chick, when the chicks were to be returned to the department for to be returned to the department for distribution among the villagers.distribution among the villagers.

This cycle of rearing went on for 12 times This cycle of rearing went on for 12 times yielding a substantial profit in cash as well yielding a substantial profit in cash as well as leaving behind a few residual chicks at as leaving behind a few residual chicks at the hands of each member.the hands of each member.

Having satisfied with this performance of the Having satisfied with this performance of the group the ARD Deptt. posed upon the group the ARD Deptt. posed upon the group a greater responsibility from March, group a greater responsibility from March, 2011 of rearing 2500 chicks for 28 days, 2011 of rearing 2500 chicks for 28 days, after which 100 chicks are to be distributed after which 100 chicks are to be distributed among 21 selected groups at a price of Rs. among 21 selected groups at a price of Rs. 3200.00 per group.3200.00 per group.

Apart from piggery and poultry, the group is Apart from piggery and poultry, the group is also engaged in preparation of Cooked also engaged in preparation of Cooked Mid-day Meal for a local primary school. 2 Mid-day Meal for a local primary school. 2 among the group members are set aside among the group members are set aside for this work. It earned them Rs. 1000.00 for this work. It earned them Rs. 1000.00 as remuneration from cooking and Rs. as remuneration from cooking and Rs. 500.00 as profit from procurement of 500.00 as profit from procurement of cooking materials. cooking materials.

Present Present Status:Status: The male members of the group, having The male members of the group, having tested the fruits of income enhancement of tested the fruits of income enhancement of the family out of the group activity, turned the family out of the group activity, turned into admirers of the group.into admirers of the group.

Most of the male members left their pre-Most of the male members left their pre-group era activities of wage-earning and group era activities of wage-earning and started ventures such as Tea Stall, Grocery started ventures such as Tea Stall, Grocery Shop, better agricultural practices in their Shop, better agricultural practices in their small holdings of land by virtue of small holdings of land by virtue of investments of their wives’ group activities.investments of their wives’ group activities.

Level of incomes of the families of each of Level of incomes of the families of each of group members have been enhanced group members have been enhanced substantially to about Rs. 6000.00 pm.substantially to about Rs. 6000.00 pm.

The rights of the womanhood have The rights of the womanhood have been established on a firm footing been established on a firm footing and the members take decisions on and the members take decisions on their own, in sharp contrast to the pre-their own, in sharp contrast to the pre-group situation.group situation.

Having exposed to the bigger society, Having exposed to the bigger society, the members have adopted the the members have adopted the practices of low-cost sanitary latrines, practices of low-cost sanitary latrines, prevented the culture of male prevented the culture of male domination and severe intoxication domination and severe intoxication and conducive atmosphere of First-and conducive atmosphere of First-Generation School and College Generation School and College Goers would be created. Goers would be created.

““This is the beginning of This is the beginning of a a

Never-ending story”Never-ending story”