Courtesy NREGA: Vehicles in Shakhan hill

The next part of Study on social impact of  Self Help Groups on women-folk of Tripura will be blogged later on. 

For the first time, since Independence, Shakhan hill, one of the remotest areas in Tripura, India, shakes off inaccessible tag from March 24, 2012 as a road constructed under the Government sponsored MGNREGA scheme will connect six hamlets of the hill with the mainland. Vehicles to run through this newly constructed 14 km long road from Hanuman para of Taichama ADC village to Saikar. Without any facility of transportation so long, people belonging to tribal communities had no other option left but to walk through at least 30 km terrain for selling produce of shifting cultivation and purchasing essentials. Taking sick people to health care centers was a harrowing experience. However, the newly constructed road will make the lives of tribal people comfortable as well as add value to economic activities. The road will accrue benefits to 647 households living in the hill. Noteworthy, shifting cultivation (Slash and burn technique of cultivation) is the only occupation of the habitants. A Local Daily Newspaper Daily Desher Katha reports.

Self Help Groups and women-folk of Tripura

Jyotsna Chakma, a bubbling housewife of Aandercherah in North Tripura District has found a new meaning of life after she formed a Self Help Group along with 10 other women of the village. ‘Thanks to my hubby’, she tells as she attributes her tryst with the SHG was made possible owing to unending support from her husband during struggling period. Involved with weaving ethnic attire, Jyotsna’s SHG, Junan, have started jhum cultivation using modern techniques. 

A divorcee with no children, Kalpana Sinha grabbed the opportunity to form a SHG and found a meaningful way to lead a decent life. Kalpana, a resident of Sukanta Nagar under Kumarghat in North Tripura District, and her group members have diversified group’s activities largely. Starting with tailoring and weaving cloths, the group named as Gayatri SHG is now involved with small-scale vegetable cultivation, animal husbandry and milk production. While speaking on her plan, she disclosed her intention to produce bio-fertilizer. Jyotsna and Kalpana are just two of the more than 3.6 lakh people associated with SHGs.

The volunteers of the ProMASS Media Research Group are conducting a survey to understand the social and economic impact of SHGs, particularly on women, in Tripura. Though, the survey is yet to be completed, here we present a brief observation of our volunteers.

In the backdrop backwardness and ethnic conflict that raged Tripura for more than two decades, it is observed that SHG movement has opened doors of opportunities to under-privileged women of the State. Through formation of SHGs, women-folk got a chance to transform themselves from ‘non-economic’ entities to economic agents. Narrating the impact of SHG, Ms Lalita Sinha, a woman Panchayat Pradhan commented, women are now moving out of their homes and even villages. This gives them an exposure and an opportunity to interact with various persons including officials. Certainly, such exposure along with business activities has made the women-folk smarter and conscious about their rights. ProMASS activists observed that SHG members get exposure through fairs, training and workshop. A social identity and ending of isolation from the main society are just two of many other social benefits accrued to women of Tripura due to SHG movement. Stay tuned for more on this issue………