Date:28/01/2006 URL: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2006/01/28/stories/2006012802261900.htm

Back `Women SHGs have helped in development of villages'

Our Bureau

Mangalore , Jan. 27

THE empowerment of women through the formation of self-help groups (SHGs) has helped in the overall development of villages, according to Mr P. Prakash Mallya, Executive Director of Syndicate Bank.

He said women SHGs have progressively diminished the economic dependence of women on their men.

A press release by the Karwar regional office of the bank said here on Friday that, Mr Mallya was speaking at a training programme for SHG members at Hulekal village, near Sirsi in Uttara Kannada district, recently.

Mr Mallya said rural women are more enterprising and committed to their beliefs and traditional values than their counterparts in urban areas.

Elaborating on various schemes of the bank for rural people, he said that the bank runs training institutes at various centres. Apart from training, these centres offer free boarding and lodging to rural entrepreneurs to enable them to take up different vocations. He asked the participants to make best use of this facility.

Mr D.N. Kamath, General Manager, Udupi region, said that the bank has financed over 1,400 SHGs in Uttara Kannada district, and the recovery has been cent per cent. The SHGs should go in for those economic activities that have got good marketing facilities, he said.

Mr Nagesh B. Prabhu, Regional Manager, Karwar, who welcomed the gathering, promised to provide necessary financial assistance to all eligible SHGs.

Nearly 500 women members from various SHGs attended the one-day training programme, the release added.