Strory of a group of uneducated Agriculture labourers in remote village at Vaigini Nachinola in Bardez Taluka.

Nachinola village is one of the village in Bardez Taluka 20 kms away from the capital city. Nachinola village people, mainly depends on agriculture for their livelihood .But their income from agriculture is very low and most of them belong to BPL families. During the non-season they do not have any alternative employment opportunities. Majority of the villagers are uneducated, and therefore were unaware of the schemes and programmes by the government. In this context, the Dy.Sarpanch of Village Panchayat Nachinola and Shri Eknath Shirodkar, APO , DRDA North Goa of interacted with the BPL families to get the benefit of DRDA scheme and explain how to form the self help group. There was a good response from the villagers to form the group under SGSY Scheme. The golden opportunity when came down at their doorsteps, which they never dreamt of , the people came together to form the group with great zeal and enthusiasm. One such group was formed by name as titled Ravalghadi Ravalnath Self Help Group Nachinola Goa formed under SGSY Scheme by the Motto of “promoting and developing agriculture activities”.
Shri Ravalghadi Ravalnath SHG group consist of 12 members. Each member contributes Rs. 100/- per month and as per guidelines the group opened savings account on 13.08.2003 at Bank of India Branch, Nachinola. Eatables and tailoring unit was the first venture of the group. Members of SHG meet on 6th of every month at 4pm, to discuss important issues such as monthly Monetary transaction; activities performed and scheme of Government etc. Each member takes great interest by sharing responsibilities. Group also participate in the social and other family welfare programmes. The members are interlarding their funds and regularly pays to the group meeting by which the contribution of Self Help group in day by day increases.

After nine months, the Self Help group is linked with bank to get the assistance of credit facility an amount of Rs. 30,000/- from Bank and Revolving fund subsidy of Rs.10,000/- from DRDA-North on 1.11.2004 for interlarding among the group members. The DRDA has given the training to the members through GIRDA, Old Goa on the maintenance of record and accounts of the group and also gave training for making of papad and pickle. Their group selected viable project, for purchase of Agricultural Eatables and tailoring etc. The group has received training like how to market and assess the quality of products. The bank sanctioned a loan amount of Rs.58000/- .After receiving the loan they gained confidence of the job they had undertaken and put in all efforts to make it a success which was a dream for them.

The group members are getting good profit after selling open market and the members have also participated in various exhibition organized by DRDA office. The group members, mostly from BPL families pay regularly monthly installment and are happy and satisfied of their present situation, when they compare themselves to the days in which they had no savings. Their income started gradually increasing. Today Shri Ravalghadi Ravalnath SHG has become a symbol of unity. And other BPL families got encouragement to come forward to form such groups. In the Nachinola village, now a total of 5 groups have been formed under SGSY Scheme. The change today in this village and surrounding village is very positive . And large members of SHG, from economically poor background have now prepared themselves to break the barriers for their economic and social empowerment.

Source:-Ministry Of Rural Development(Govt of India)