Under 'Chhattisgarh Mahila Kosh' — a loan scheme operated by Chhattisgarh Government's Women and Child Development Department, more than 26,000 women self-help groups (SHGs) have received business loans worth nearly Rs44.31 crore, officials stated.
It is noteworthy that 'Chhattisgarh Mahila Kosh' is being operated in the State since year 2003-04 for providing loans to women self-help groups on easy terms and conditions for various kinds of businesses.
Initially, women SHGs are given loan of amount equal to minimum four or maximum ten times of their savings, or of maximum amount of Rs50,000, under the scheme. After they have returned the first loan amount successfully, the group is provided loan of up to Rs2 lakh for the next time. Women self-help groups are provided loan at nominal three per cent interest rate.
Women and Child Development Department officials informed that during the last eleven-and-a-half years, nearly 3,575 women SHGs have received loans worth Rs7.36 crore.
It may be mentioned that Joint Forest Management Committees and women self-help groups (SHGs) in Chhattisgarh are also manufacturing various kinds of herbal products, officials stated stated.
The State Government's Small Forest Produce Cooperative Society has introduced these products in the market with attractive packaging and brand name of 'Chhattisgarh Herbal'. The scheme has not only provided additional employment to thousands of forest dwellers but has also made available the quality herbal products at fair prices for people.
Officials of Chhattisgarh State Small Forest Produce Society informed that herbal medicines for curing various small diseases are available at reasonable prices in Sanjeevani Centres.
They stated that arjun powder for heart diseases, tulsi powder for headache and flu, neem powder for skin problems, blood impurity and infections, bel powder for curing heart diseases, liver diseases and diarrhoea, udramrit powder for congestion and indigestion relief, and many such herbal medicines for cure various diseases are available at Sanjeevani Centers, along with a local Ayurvedic doctor for medical counseling and advice.
Officials informed that in Raipur, Chhattisgarh Herbal Sanjeevani Centre is operating at GE Road opposite Forest Building. In Raipur forest circle, Sanjeevani centers have been opened in Balodabazar, Kasdol, Abhanpur, Bilaigarh and Barnavapara. In Durg forest circle, Sanjeevani centres are operating Durg city, Navagarh, Daundi, Rajnandgaon, lohara, Dongargarh, Kawardha. Similarly Sanjeevani centers have been established in Kanker, Bhanupratappur, Pakhanjur, Kondagaon under Kanker forest circle, Jagdalpur, Dantewada, Bijapur, Sukma under Jagdalpur forest circle, Bilaspur, Karona, Katghora, lormi, Masturi, Ratanpur, Kanan Pendari, Korba under Bilaspur forest circle, Ambikapur, Pratappur, Jashpur, Ramanujganj, Baikunthpur and Manendragarh under Ambikapur forest circle for sale of quality herbal products.
It may be mentioned that the Chhattisgarh Government has already developed an elaborate retail network for medicines made out of forest produce. The Government’s retail network for marketing of these products comprise ‘Non-wood Forest Produce Marts’ which have been opened at six locations in the State besides ‘Sanjeevani Centres’, officials informed.
During the past decade, forest medicines worth Rs2.17 crore have been sold. last year, the quantity of products sold increased by three times. The State government's AYUSH Department have given license to 102 forest medicines produced by Forest Medicine Processing Centres of the State under Cosmetics and Drugs Act.
