‘Bihar done better than Modi’s Gujarat on women’s Self Help Groups’

Rural development minister Jairam Ramesh on Monday attacked the Narendra Modi government in Gujarat for the dismal performance of women self help groups in the state, saying that the JD(U)-ruled Bihar had done far better in that regard than the former. In the above context, he also pointed at the performance of an NGO in Uttar Pradesh, headed by Rahul Gandhi – Rajiv Gandhi Mahila Vikas Pariyojana (RGMVP) – for yielding good results in targeted districts. The work done by RGMVP has prompted the Samajwadi Party government in UP to sign an MoU to extend the programme to other districts as well, Ramesh added. Women Self-Help Groups (SHGs) operate under the Centre’s ambitious National Rural Livelihoods Mission (NRLM), which aims to alleviate poverty in the rural areas.
Meanwhile,  the government rolled out a Rs 1,400 crore interest subvention on loans taken by Self Help Groups working for their empowerment.