Bengal micro enterprises set an example in India

Agartala, July 8 (UNI) Self-help groups (SHGs) in West Bengal have emerged as major micro enterprises in the state and thrown a challenge to modern market driven economy, said West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee.

Addressing a public rally, organised by Tripura Left Front on the occasion of the successful completion of 30-year rule of the party in West Bengal, Mr Bhattacharjee said about 125 lakh SHGs, including 52 lakh managed by the women, had been running successfully in the state.

''They are not only doing small business, but have also coined the idea of micro finance among the illiterate and downtrodden of the state and now most of them are not dependent on the Banking sector,'' said Mr Bhattacharjee.

Claiming the success of the Left Front government, he pointed out that the SHGs had also taken part in different social movements like eradication of dowry system, women empowerment and participation of women in democratic set-up.

Mr Bhattacharjee has also announced that the education sector in West Bengal had received a tremendous boost during the Front rule in the state, while literacy rate had already touched 72 per cent, about seven per cent higher than national average.

He criticised the Central government, stating that when the Union government was highlighting the economic growth rate of the country at nine per cent, at the same time the employment opportunity went down four times.

''We want automobile industry at Singur to open employment opportunity for our youths, '' Mr Bhattacharjee said adding the West Bengal government had taken decision to withdraw the plan of setting up chemical hub at Nandigram following stiff opposition of the people but it would come up somewhere else in the state.

UNI