Imphal, March 23: With Self Help Groups providing the only succour to underprivileged and BPL women members, L Radhakishor Singh, MLA and former Education Minister said that it is time to introspect whether SHGs are really filling the gap that the Government failed to provide in its developmental programmes.

He was speaking as a chief guest during a one day block level seminar on economic empowerment of under privileged through cooperative, problems and prospects organised by National Cooperative Union of India (NCUI), Cooperative Education Field Project, Bishnupur under the sponsorship of NCUI, New Delhi at community hall, Langthabal Kunja, Imphal West II today.

Today's seminar was part of series of seminar to be organised by the project under the sponsorship of NCUI, New Delhi.

Earlier a similar seminar was also organised at Keinou Thongkha, Bishnupur district on March 20.A similar one will be organised on March 27 at Ningthoukhong, Bishnupur district.

The chief guest also call on the participants to introspect whether SHGs are running successfully or not in the State especially in the present scenario considering the number of defaulters in repaying loans to the banks.

The former Minister also added that ignorance on the part of the members of SHGs is a great hindrance to the development of SHGs.

Former Speaker of Manipur State Assembly while speaking as guest of honour said that sincerity on the part of the members especially the group leaders is pre-requisite in running a SHG successfully.

The same also applies in case of cooperative societies also.

He also cited numerous instances where office bearers of a cooperative society swindled loan amount without the knowledge of its members while he was the member of Manipur State Cooperative Bank.

Taking cue from the successful organisation of SHGs by the two NCUI projects one in Bishnupur district and another one at Imphal East, Kh Borkeshor Singh, chairman NCUI-Project Coordination Committee who was guest of honour said that various department under the Manipur Govt has earmarked certain amount of money for formation of SHGs.

He said that so far more than 3000 SHGs has been formed by the two projects.

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