International Women’s Day: In Punjab, women find financial freedom, job security in SHGs

The 10-member SHG, which started in 2012, is now eyeing online platforms to market its products even as it caters to “around 5000 village population”, its member Rekha tells The Indian Express on the sidelines of a function organized by Punjab Rural Development and Panchayats departments in Vikas Bhawan in Mohali Tuesday to mark International Women’s Day.

As per Block Programme Manager Kulbir Singh, who is monitoring the SHG, “The Zaffarwal SHG has emerged as a bank in itself, giving loans at low rates of interest to its members after its inception.”

Rekha takes pride in the fact that “being herbal in nature, the products are not harsh on skin.”
The members of the, she says, underwent training in Dhariwal.

The group members immediately connect when asked about Wassan Singh, with one of them saying that his relatives now operate an eating joint.

Paramjit Singh, husband of village Sarpanch Bhagwant Kaur, while talking on phone is all praise for Wassan Singh, as well as for the SHG.

According to Paramjit, Wassan Singh was getting constructed a gurdwara and shelter for needy on “less than an acre land he owns” with “the financial assistance of his children living abroad”.

Contacted over phone, Wassan Singh insists on talking in person. He got associated with the United Akali Dal after he being taken into custody following his return from Switzerland in early 2000. Sources close to him say that a former Akali leader who was all powerful in Majha region at that time facilitated his return. They say that there was matrimonial link of family members of Wassan Singh and the Akali leader.

Kilometers away in Moolianwal village in Batala block of Gurdaspur district, 34-year-old Ranjit Kaur wants to take several varieties of pickles made by SHG Suan she is associated with to the international market.

The SHG makes 75 types of pickles, including four of mutton, chicken, pork and fish. (Express Photo)

“It is my dream. I want government to help us in getting the export license,” says the 8th pass Ranjit Kaur, pointing out that 12-member SHG had given women “an identity” and a “platform” to sell their products.

The SHG makes 75 types of pickles, including four of mutton, chicken, pork and fish.

Ranjit Kaur, who is assisted by her husband in making pickles, bats for a “food processing unit in Gurdaspur district”.

She says that the SHG had given importance to women who did not get much attention while being in parental or in-laws’ house. She is elated as she speaks on how the women members of SHGs were given importance in welcoming chief guest at a Jodhpur exhibition.

Jasvir Kaur (38) of Dyalpura Bhaika in Bathinda is all praise for ‘Ek Onkar’ SHG that deals in manufacturing various varieties of honey. A qualified teacher, she quit her job to join the SHG in 2019.

“I decided to do something to empower women and hence joined the group. It is said that it is better to employ people than working for someone,” says Jasvir Kaur.

Sukhwinder Kaur (46) is associated with Mehar SHG located in Mirpur village of Gurdaspur district. The group, among other things, specializes in Phulkari, jewellery and handbags. Sukhwinder said she had been associated with phulkari for over two decades, but the SHG provided a platform to take the art to newer heights and empower women by providing employment opportunities.

Lakhvir Kaur (44), who did double MA, in Punjabi and History, quit her 15-year-old teaching job in 2019 to join village Manakwal-based SHG Bhai Kanhaiyya ji which manufactures various household items, including painted suits, pillows and bedsheets, pickles, murabbas and stitched garments.

“Teaching was an experience of its own. But, I think this new role is wider. While children get support of parents eventually, the women don’t get that much support from husband or in-laws’ at times. The SHG makes them self reliant,” says Lakhvir.

In his address during the Punjab State Rural Livelihood Mission (PSRLM) event held under the aegis of the Punjab Rural Development and Panchayats Department, Financial Commissioner, Rural Development and Panchayats Rahul Bhandari while exhorting the women to be “financially independent” said that “those women who are connected with the SHGs must have a personal bank account as well as an ATM card”. Bhandari also stressed on “proper marketing, branding and standardization, export and online sale for the products manufactured by the SHGs”.

The various Self Help Groups (SHGs) that put up stalls included Ekta, Suani and Ekta (Tarn Taran, Gurdaspur and Barnala, respectively), Sehaj (SAS Nagar), Gurkirpa (Patiala), Guru Gobind Singh Ji (Bathinda), Ekam Ajeevika (Ludhiana), Mehar (Gurdaspur), Jai Maa Lakshmi Group (Hoshiarpur), Baba Nanak (SAS Nagar), Krishna (Sangrur), Jagriti (SAS Nagar), Kranti CLF (Patiala), Nari Shakti (Pathankot), Kirat (Sangrur), Jiwan Ajeevika (Patiala), Green Gold (Gurdaspur), Zaffarwal (Gurdaspur), Prince, Roshni (Gurdaspur), Ekamkar (Bathinda), Amandeep Mahra (Patiala) and Kudrat (SAS Nagar).