Participants of the refresher training at Kohima.
Commits better service to women SHG community
Dimapur, March 31 (MExN): The Bank Sakhi in Nagaland, nurtured by Nagaland State Rural livelihoods Mission (NSRLM), has committed itself to render better service to the women SHG community with the available support and cooperation of bank branch officials.
The Bank Sakhi have re-committed to dedicated their service towards achieving nil NPA, facilitating savings bank account opening to all SHG members, universalization of insurance enrolment and enhancement in credit linkage through offline and online applications.
These were the outcomes of the two-day refresher training of Bank Sakhi held at Kohima on March 29 and 30, stated a press release from SPM-FI, NSRLM.
Rajuselie Lhousa, State Program Manager-Financial Inclusion (SPM-FI), NSRLM as resource person of the training, spoke on saturation savings bank account opening, facilitating credit linkage to 70% of SHGs, scaling up enterprise financing to individuals, universalization in insurance schemes and sensitized on the upcoming opportunity of applying loan through online known as ‘Jan Samarth.’
He said that the SHGs requiring finance from the Banks should be made available to them. The Community-Based Repayment Mechanism (CBRM) meeting should be conducted monthly so that the agenda of scaling up credit linkage and regular repayment are monitored. He said the SHG loan is becoming most reliable product of the Banks in the country.
He sought the cooperation of Bank Sakhi to support the Financial Literacy Community Resource Persons (FLCRP) and Business Correspondent (BC) Sakhi who are taking forward the national programmes viz. ‘Financial Literacy Campaign’ and ‘Promotion of Digital Transaction at GP level Campaign’ under AKAM 2.0 up to August 15.
He also acknowledged the Bank authorities for accepting SHG members and providing them space to sit in bank branches. He lauded the Banks who have been recognizing women SHG members engaged as Bank Sakhi in the country and awarding commission against their services.
Neisavino Mera, Bank Sakhi sitting in SBI Jakhama branch, under Kohima district, spoke about her happiness being engaged as Bank Sakhi for the last 4 years for Jakhama Block.
She makes herself available in the bank branch and on phone 24x7, beyond her 8 days of engagement, having understood that she was so blessed by doing yeomen service to the rural community. She shared how she addresses the new trainees whenever they come to her block for field visits.
She also narrated her story of having got the opportunity to personally meet and interact with Union President of India during her visit to Kigwema village last year, besides having meeting scentral ministers and top State officials in the past. She said the women are comfortable and empowered day by day under the leadership of Imtimenla, Mission director, for her committed service in the Mission.
A Bank Sakhi is a women SHG member sitting in the bank branch to facilitate the required financial needs of women coming from villages like opening of savings bank account, facilitating deposit, withdrawal, transfer, insurance enrolment, loan process and monitoring loan repayment by SHGs etc. This enables the women get their banking business settled within a short period and avoid standing in long que while also reducing the work load of the bankers.
Altogether 116 Bank Sakhi are sitting in different Bank branches covering all the district viz 57 in SBI, 34 in NSCB, 10 in NRB, 5 in BoB, 5 in CBI, 2 in Canara, 1 in BoI, 1 in IDBI, and 1 in Indian Bank.
