Srinagar: Mission Director (MD), Jammu & Kashmir Rural Livelihoods Mission (JKRLM), Dr Syed Sehrish Asgar Monday held a review meeting to take stock of the progress of financial inclusion under Umeed scheme.
Dr. Sehrish directed the officials to focus on creating an enabling environment for the rural women for getting hassle free credit linkage as well as create strong habit of repayment of the bank loans.
She maintained that there are dozens of ventures where the role of rural women is eminent and they could easily turn these activities into enterprises if guided rightly.
The MD urged the officers to look for different business models that could be recast and replicated in our villages and offered to women there for taking up as enterprises. She asked them to assist these women in channelizing their efforts in carving out successful businesses. She maintained that rural women are highly industrious and can turn everything into gold by sheer grit and determination.
The MD further emphasized that as part of financial inclusion everySHG member should have bank accounts. She strictly exhorted upon them to also cover these members under social security schemes like PMJJBY, PMSBY so that their future, health and life remains insured for good.
Dr Sehrish also upheld that JKRLM (Umeed) scheme has given a significant platform to the SHG members to access capital and the bank loans for managing their livelihoods. She highlighted that the scheme has encouraged the women to become role models for young generation to come out of poverty and be successful entrepreneurs.
Highlighting the role of banks, Dr. Sehrish said that they have a very important role in making banking services accessible and hassle free for the rural women SHGs. She said that without enrolling this substantial chunk of population the national dream of full financial inclusion of whole population cannot be realized.
She added that Community Based Recovery Mechanism (CBRM) committees at the village level play a significant part in both financial awareness and micro planning of utilization of loan amount, repayment and recovery, therefore utmost efforts should be made to make these committees vibrant, wherein bankers also have a stake. She further added that CBRM committee will also facilitate in reducing the NPA percentage significantly.
The meeting was attended by State Project Managers, District Programme Managers and MIS officers of the Mission. Outstation officers participated in the meeting through video conferencing.
