The activism of women self-help groups helped to normalize life even during the lockdown in remote Vananchal.
Women’s self-help groups of ‘Bihan’ created more than 1.33 lakh masks
So far, more than Rs.12.50 lakhs have been paid in rural areas by bank creditors
Raipur 17 April 2020 / Lockdown Women Rural Self Help Groups of State Rural Livelihoods Mission ‘Bihan’ in rural areas to distribute, masks and distribute ration materials to the people and wages, disabilities to MNREGA workers as bankers And is playing an important role in making pension payments to the elderly and making withdrawals from Jan Dhan accounts and facilitating normal transactions.
A total of 1 lakh 33 thousand 348 masks worth more than Rs 24 lakh have been made by 151 women members of 52 self-help groups of Bihan in Korea district. With this, while the essential supply of masks in all the areas of the district remains uninterrupted, women are also getting financial support. The women of the groups are providing ration, vegetables and medicines to the people at home, so far these women have provided home delivery service to about 7 thousand families. More than 1.33 lakh masks have been prepared by women self-help groups of ‘Bihan’ in Korea district and more than Rs 12.50 lakh have been paid so far in rural areas by bank associates in the district.
The supply of vegetables, ration and medicines at the market rate to the families residing in the remote village of rural area of Korea district has also become possible with the help of self-help group. In such a situation of lockdown, the group’s Didis have started the Bihaan Ghar Reach Service through the “Bihan Korea Mart” with the help of the government, through which the Panchayat-wise roster will be made through the secretaries of the Gram Panchayats to reach the Panchayats. The day has been set. Siddi Bihan Mart has been issued a pass by the government, with the help of which the rationing materials, masks, green vegetables, essential medicines, etc. are being provided at home keeping in mind the sanitation and physical distancing (social distance). So far, home delivery service has been provided to about 7 thousand families in more than 100 panchayats under about five development blocks and this sequence is going on continuously.
According to the present situation, when no one is going out of the house, it is necessary to have money for the purchase of essential goods. Banks are actively working to ensure availability of money to the people. Now that all the means of transport have stopped, financial services are being provided in 41 villages of remote Vananchal in Koriya district by the Bank of Sakhi-Digi-Pay. This includes wages to MGNREGA workers, pension payments to differently-abled elders, and withdrawals from the Jan Dhan accounts of women and general payments. The bank is working to provide cash to the beneficiaries after reaching from house to house and taking care of sanitation and social distance. So far, more than 12 lakh 50 thousand amount has been paid by these bank associates during the lockdown in rural areas.
Under the National Rural Livelihood Mission “Bihan”, funds have also been provided in the form of Disaster Fund at village organization level in Korea district to deal with the situation of disaster caused by Kovid-19. Which is being used by the village organization to help the poor and the disabled. Under the help of this Disaster Management Fund, 400 village families have been given financial assistance of more than Rs 2 lakh for ration, health and other necessary work by 20 village organizations. In this way, the activities of the group are continuing in various fields.
Women self-help groups in Korea district have been able to conduct life as usual during the lockdown in remote Vananchal. In the rural areas of the district, both the ration and the amount are being made easily available to the general public by the sisters of the women self-help groups. Along with this, the work of providing millions of villagers as the simplest and easiest resource mask to avoid the global pandemic is also being done by them. The Sisters of Aajeevika Mission, headed by the District Mission Management Unit working under the Korea District Panchayat, have made everything easier from dedication and service in the district covered by Vananchal. The country was locked in to deal with the situation arising out of the global epidemic. In such a situation, the people of self-help groups went ahead and took up the task of building the necessary resource masks to protect people from this epidemic as well as the availability of essential goods. The purpose of the lockdown will be fulfilled only when every person wearing masks and maintaining social distancing, but the district has a population of about 06 lakhs. Such masks were not available in the market. In this way, a total of 1 lakh 33 thousand 348 masks worth more than Rs 24 lakh have been made by 151 women members of 52 self-help groups of Bihan in Korea district. This has resulted in uninterrupted supply to all areas of the district.
