SHGs tight lipped about mandate, pol parties continue to woo for votes

Visakhapatnam: All political parties are now eyeing the vote bank of 94 lakh women of self-help groups (SHGs) across the state. On an average, each district has five to six lakh SHG members, who will allegedly play a vital role in the forthcoming elections, in view of which, the main political parties –TDP, YSRC, and the newly formed Jana Sena—are wooing women voters.
Bifurcated AP has a population of 5.30 crore, where in 3,93,45,717 are registered voters, of which 1.99 crore women voters. Around 94 lakh women are a part of the eight lakh self-help groups across the state. Though the SHG movement in India started in 1980, it strengthened during the late CM NTR’s tenure in the state.
In almost all 13 districts women voters are more in number compared to male voters. So, the main political parties are targeting women voters, especially the SHG who can influence the other voters in their surrounding localities and colonies.

Keeping this in mind, the ruling TDP has given sops in the name of Pasupu Kumkuma and a financial assistance of Rs 21,116 crore in the past four years. Meanwhile, the YSRC has been promising SHGs more benefits than TDP.

Local leaders and the contesting candidates of particular segments are urging SHG leaders to support them in exchange for help to the SHG for many welfare schemes. The candidates of various parties are meeting the heads of SHGs and SHG federations’ leaders in the cities.

Cities such as Visakhapatnam, Vijayawada, Tirupati, Rajahmundry, Nellore, Guntur, Ongole, Chittoor and Kakinada, besides others have thousands of groups, while each district has an approximate 40,000 groups to 80,000 groups.
“In some areas, few SHGs have been participating in the campaigning processes of the political parties. But majority of the SHGs are keeping their cards close their chest. Nobody can assess their mandate,” said one of the official of Urban Community Development (UCD) wing.
The north Andhra districts — Visakhapatnam, Vizianagaram and Srikakulam — have more than 15 lakh members in the 2 lakh SHGs and Mepma (Mission for Elimination of Poverty in Municipal Areas) groups in cities. According to the concerned officials of DRDAs across the state about 5% to 10% of SHGs were increased in the past five years. Even the small mandals across AP have 1,500 self-help groups, they added.
“Around 80% of the SHGs are under the eligible category of taking loans Rs 3 lakh which is now approaching towards Rs 5 lakh loan eligibility. That means all these groups are active. Visakha district itself has seen an increase upto two thousand SHGs in the past few years,” on condition of anonymity one of the senior officer of rural development department said.

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