The Indian Express            03.08.2013

PMC to reward top three self help groups for performance

As per the proposal, which was tabled in the women and child welfare committee, the civic body would reward the top three self help groups every year with a cash prize of Rs 1.5 lakh, Rs 1 lakh and Rs 50,000 respectively.

"The self help groups with extraordinary performance will be rewarded. This will motivate them to work hard," said Hanumant Nazirkar, incharge, Urban Community Development (UCD), PMC.

He said the idea was conceived by the elected representatives. "The self help groups will be selected by committee headed by Mayor, the usual practice for any other selection committee set up to issue rewards," said Nazirkar.

Meanwhile, the civic administration has taken up a drive to verify self help groups registered with the civic body. As per the records, there are as many as 12,000 self help groups in the city but doubts prevail over how many of them are functional.

"The PMC has no computer records of the self help groups. Thus, a drive is being undertaken to register them. It will help in the implementation of various schemes launched for urban poor and also give an idea on the actual number of self help groups," he said.

Activist Vivek Velankar said the rewards will meet the same fate as the others conferred by the civic body. "The elected representatives push for organisation and individuals of their choice for rewards. Most of the self help groups are run by the elected representatives and the reward are usually given to please party activists running these groups," he added.

Velankar said the civic body is unable to provide basic facilities to citizens and the money is unnecessarily being spent on issues which are not important "The elected representatives have been claiming credit for giving scholarships to meritorious Class X and Class XII students by distributing scholarship forms in their offices. This initiative too will give them another opportunity to claim credit," he added.