To provide means of livelihood to the poor in urban areas of the state, urban bodies are providing financial assistance to self-help groups in collaboration with banks. So far, 9318 self-help groups have been formed in urban areas in the state and more than 9000 urban poor families have been linked to self-help groups. Along with this, 642 area level federations and 34 city level federations have been formed to strengthen the self-help groups financially.
The Urban Development and Housing Department has provided an amount of about Rs 6 crore 75 lakh as recurring fund amount to 6720 self-help groups. Under the self-employment programme, about Rs 77 crore has been sanctioned to 5723 beneficiaries in the previously approved individual loan and Rs 11 crore has been sanctioned to 396 self-help groups as group loan. By bank linking of 3581 self-help groups of urban areas in the state, a loan of Rs 21 crore 50 lakh has been distributed through banks.
Urban self-help groups have been linked as Amrut Mitra in Urban Development Department and other central schemes including Amrut 2.0. Self-help group members are also assisting in activities like water quality testing work, cleanliness awareness programme, solid waste management and sanitation. Under the Amrut Mitra programme in the Amrut 2.0 scheme, work orders worth Rs 56 lakh have been given to 20 self-help groups in 10 urban bodies Jabalpur, Bhopal, Indore, Narmadapuram, Chhatarpur, Gwalior, Rewa, Chhindwara, Dhar and Dewas. In the second phase, 45 bodies of the state have been selected. These women self-help groups have been entrusted with the responsibility of water quality testing and operation and maintenance of public parks. In the Swachh Bharat Mission, 166 self-help groups are associated with sanitation and solid waste management work.
Urban self-help groups in the state have also been linked to the Pradhan Mantri Micro Food Enterprise Scheme (PMFAME) of the Horticulture Department of the Central Government. In the seed capital component of the scheme, Rs 3 crore have been given to 708 members of 126 self-help groups through the Area Level Federation for food processing activities. In the second phase of this scheme, the urban bodies have sent proposals worth about Rs 2 crore for horticulture activities to 600 members of 103 self-help groups through federations for approval. Self-help groups in urban areas are being continuously trained in activities related to food processing.
