Hundreds of members of 80 Women Self Help Groups (SHGs) led by SRUTAI (Society for Rural, Urban and Tribal Area Improvement) took to the streets chanting slogans against the State Government and the Brahmapur
Municipal Corporation (BMC) and held a demonstration in front of the office of the RDC here on Friday demanding stern action against the erring officials of the BMC responsible for the delay in sanctioning loans to them.
Mention may be made that to empower women and make them self-sufficient, the BMC Deputy Commissioner on 12.09.2012 had recommended provision of loans to these SHGs formed under the SRUTAI in phases based on the orders of the BMC Mayor as conveyed to the SRUTAI secretary. Accordingly, the Deputy Commissioner requested the SRUTAI secretary to sponsor the names of the SHGs through the concerned BMC corporators to take further action in the matter.
In response to a query under the RTI Act made by one Jagannath Gantayat on 30.11.13, the BMC APIO in its reply on 2.1.2014 said no loan would be granted to any SHG without the recommendation of the local corporator, Commissioner or Mayor as decided at the BMC meeting on 5.7.2013. Hence, no action has yet been taken on the applications submitted by SHGs seeking loan.
Even though some SHGs have already submitted their applications along with the recommendations of the corporators to the BMC, they have deliberately been deprived of loan for last six years, said SRUTAI secretary Indira Kumari Nayak in a memorandum to the RDC. The memorandum also demanded stern action against the erring BMC officials.
Among others, scribe Rabi Rath, SRUTAI working president Jagannath Gantayat and advisor Rajendra Panda, Geetanjali Pradhan, Bishnupriya Padhi, Subash Panigrahi, Harapriya Sahu, Kishore Panigrahi, Asoak Behera, Sasmita Sabat and Ramanath Gantayat were present.