Successful implementation of second phase of District Poverty Initiative Project (DPIP) in Madhya Pradesh has inspired a number of countries.
Delegations from Vietnam, laos and Nepal have visited the districts at the initiative of the World Bank during the last few years. They have taken stock of prosperity and economic changes in lives of people living in remote areas of the State due to effective implementation of DPIP.
In the same context, managing director of Sushri Nagji Okonjo Iweala at the World Bank headquarters in Washington, visited Madhya Pradesh in June 2011 and managing director Mohmoud Mohieidin in November 2011.
Both of them lauded the efforts to improve the lives of the urban poor through DPIP projects. The World Bank has provided $ 110 million for implementation of second phase of DPIP in Madhya Pradesh. This includes the State's share of $ 10 million.
World Bank's India Head Onno Ruhl took stock of livelihood activities being run by rural people through DPIP in villages of Gairatganj development block in Raisen district yesterday and lauded the successful achievements under the project.
He interacted with women members of self-help groups at village Imaliya. He discussed with them available financial assistance and positive changes in their lives.
Ruhl also inspected an exhibition of products manufactured by women's self-help groups. Through DPIP, women have organised themselves into self-help groups and taken steps successfully towards self-reliance. They are discharging their domestic responsibilities too effectively.
Coming out of the four walls of their houses, women have now learnt effective methods of running various livelihood activities. Their monthly income has increased by Rs2,000 to Rs3,000 per month. This has improved the living standards of their families and children are getting quality education.
On the occasion, Ruhl provided bank linkages of Rs 10 lakh on behalf of ICICI Bank and Central Bank of India to 13 SHGs. At the programme, a large number of beneficiaries shared their experiences. South Asia Country Programme and livelihoods Sector manager Shobha Shetty, World Bank representative Jill Armstrong, Task Manager Kevin Crockford, DPIP Project Coordinator lM Belwal were present on the occasion.
It may be noted that the second phase of DPIP was launched in Madhya Pradesh in November 2009. livelihood activities through DPIP are being run in 2,900 villages of 53 development blocks in 14 districts of the State. As many as 29,670 self-help groups have been constituted under the project. Grants pf Rs 300 crore have been made available for augmenting livelihood activities. Under DPIP, poor rural women are being organised into self-help groups and financial assistance is being provided to them.