Efforts on to obtain World Bank funds for SHGs: Pawar

Amravati, Jan 25 (UNI) Efforts were on to obtain funds from various banks, including the World Bank (WB), for women's self-help groups (SHGs) in Maharashtra, said Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar today.

Addressing a convention of representatives of SHGs here, Mr Pawar said the state government should give loans at low rates to women's self-help groups on the lines of the credit given to farmers in Maharashtra. The state government should make efforts in this direction as such a step would make women self-reliant and boost economic development, he said.

Women have the capacity to resolve numerous problems facing society and could make a vital contribution to the country's development, Mr Pawar said.

Citing an instance, he said the literacy level in Mizoram was 98 per cent because the management of schools in that state was in the hands of women.

Addressing the gathering, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister R R Patil said 2.25 lakh SHGs were active in the state and 1.5 crore women were involved in their activities. This had not only emancipated and made women self-sufficient but also brought about a reduction by 35 per cent in the cases of atrocities by men against women, he added.

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