Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana - National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM) organised a special event called “Discourse on Rural Financial Inclusion” on 18^th December, 2021 through virtual mode to celebrate 75 years of the independence of the country under Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav. Executive Directors, Chief General Managers/ General Managers, other senior Officials of the banks and Chief Executive Officers/State Managing Directors from the State Rural Livelihoods Missions participated in the programme.  Sh. Charanjit Singh, Joint Secretary, Rural Livelihoods, Ministry of Rural Development welcomed all the participants and Sh. Nagendra Nath Sinha, Secretary, Department of Rural Development, Ministry of Rural Development, Govt. of India, New Delhi inaugurated the programme. 

As a part of the event, the facility for overdraft (OD of Rs. 5,000/- to verified SHG members under DAY – NRLM having accounts under the prime Minister Jan Dhan Yojana with Banks was launched by Sh. Nagendra Nath Sinha,  Secretary of Department of Rural Development.  This facility has been initiated in pursuance of the announcement made by the Finance Minister in her budget speech of 2019-20.  Six Women SHG members from three States i.e., Rajasthan, Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh (Two from each State) were provided with a cheque of Rs. 5,000 to mark the start of the scheme by the senior officials of the Banks in the presence of Chief Executive Officers/senior officers State Rural Livelihoods Missions at functions organised at State Head Quarters of the respective States.  It is estimated that about 5 crore women SHG members under DAY-NRLM would be benefitted from this facility evetually.      

          Woman SHG member receiving Overdraft cheque of Rs.5,000/- in Uttar Pradesh.

After the launch of this OD facility, a presentation on “Reviving Rural Economy” was made by Ms. Nita Kejrewal, Joint Secretary, Rural Livelihoods, Ministry of Rural Development covering various initiatives of the Department of Rural Development and she requested the Banks to align their credit products with that of the various programmes of this Ministry to provide credit to the rural masses to create livelihoods for them and help transform the rural economy. Prominent speakers who participated in the event include Ms. Vasudha Bhatt Kumar, Chief General manager of State Bank of India, who spoke on the “Role of women enterprises in “Reviving Rural Economy”,   Sh. Balamurgan D Chief Executive Officer of Jeevika (Bihar State Rural Livelihood Mission) & Sh. Rajeev Puri, Executive Director, Central Bank of India, who expressed their views on “Financial Education of Rural Masses – Challenges and Way forward and  Smt. Krishna Baruah, State Mission Director, Assam State Rural Livelihoods Mission (ASRLM), who made  a Power Point Presentation  on” Financial Inclusion in difficult areas – A case for North Eastern Regions” showing various issues faced by the rural people in the NE Regions.  A total of 200 Participants (approx.) from different banks and State Rural Livelihoods Mission (SRLMs) have attended this event across 75 locations.

The annual awards for performance of Banks under SHG Bank Linkage programme during the year 2020-21 were announced and the following Banks were awarded:

1. Union Bank of India
2. Punjab National Bank
3. Indian Bank
4. State Bank of India

Ms. Nita Kejrewal, Joint Secretary, congratulated all the award-winning Banks and thanked every one for their active participation and deliberations in the programme.

Woman SHG member receiving Overdraft cheque of Rs.5,000/- in Jharkhand.

Woman SHG member receiving Overdraft cheque of Rs.5,000/- in Rajasthan.

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APS/IA