The Digitally Powered Group

Idukki district is a densely forested, mountainous region of Kerala. Murickassery, a small village of migrant farmers and native Adivasi communities has been developing as an important centre of the district. EShakti has paved the way for modernising their banking experience. 

Activity

Group based farming on leased land by 17 members of Udayam SHG of Murickassery village, Idukki district, Kerala.

The SHG came into existence in 2008 under the handholding of Highrange Development Society. There are 17 members in the group. The group has taken land on lease and growing tapioca, plantain, vegetables, etc. Ten members have set up kitchen gardens. They have also livestock which provide some additional income to the family and organic manure for the cultivation. The surplus products are marketed at reasonable price. The members are also associated with Farmers Club and Farm Friends which are organized and sustained for the well being of the farmer community at large.

Nature of Intervention

The SHG has been digitised under Eshakti programme of NABARD. All the transactions are uploaded through mobile and they are getting messages of all their transactions. NABARD supported workshops are conducted to create awareness on the concept of SHG, record-keeping, financial literacy as also the social security schemes of the Government.

The Impact

Currently they are getting loan of Rs.5 lakh. Before digitisation the members were receiving an average loan of Rs.1.3 lakh.

With the intervention of EShakti programme, all the members hold a savings account in nationalized banks. EShakti has ensured transparency and the members have all the information relating to their bank account at their finger tips. Increased awareness levels of SHG functioning through MIS generated reports has resulted in banks having more confidence in providing credit to the groups. They are now ready to cater to the group directly rather than through the NGO as was being done earlier. This makes it easy for the SHG to access timely credit without much hassle. With awareness about the Government security schemes like the PMJJBY and PMSBY schemes, the members collectively fill up the forms and submit to the bank. Digitisation was thus providing them a platform to reap these benefits. Apart from helping them to dream big, it gave them a feeling of security and satisfaction.

Critical Determinants 

• Cohesiveness of group
• Ease of banking brought about by EShakti

Source : Creating Livelihoods, Changing Lives