Source : The Hindu Date : 25.06.2009
Cultural events mark convergence of SHG women
Staff Reporter
— Photo: S.Thanthoni
CELEBRATION: SHG members take a look at the items on display at an exhibition at Valluvar Kottam in Chennai on Wednesday.
CHENNAI: Hundreds of Self Help Groups (SHG) women from various parts of the city joined at Valluvar Kottam on Wednesday, to celebrate Sangamam with various cultural programmes.
Inaugurating the ‘Women’s Sangamam – 2009,’ Mayor M. Subramanian said the Chennai Corporation had helped formation of over 19,000 SHGs. In all the 10 zones, meeting halls had been provided to the SHG members to conduct meetings and training programmes, he said.
He said Deputy Chief Minister M.K. Stalin had increased the stipend given to SHG members from Rs.7.50 a day to Rs.45 . The amount is credited to the bank accounts of the members after the completion of the training, he added.
Organised by Nesakkaram – SEEDS, a non-governmental organisation that has helped organise 6,000 women living on pavements and in slums into 370 groups, the Sangamam included an exhibition of products by the SHG members. Fr. Charles, its Director, said the NGO provided training in computers and tailoring and also helped arrangement of loans through nationalised banks, including Indian bank and State Bank of India.
G. Arokiamary, a member of Akshaya, a group from Chintadripet said she sells silk saris to women in her locality. “I have taken a loan from the SHG and also from outside to run the business. I buy saris from Kancheepuram and sell them to women on monthly instalments.”
K. Kalaivani, another member, said the group has stopped supplying phenyl to shops as the rate they offered was very low.
“The price of raw materials has increased considerably and we are unable to provide phenyl at low rates. Our members manufacture incense sticks.”