VIKAS SANSTHAN
CAMPAIGN FOR WOMEN AND CHILD RIGHTS
SHG Members Assert to Open Account in Cooperative Bank
Mothers of child labourers of Hasmat Nagar formed two self-help groups and started saving and credit activities with the support of the project team members. The project team members provided handholding support to members/leaders of SHGs in making the SHGs functional.
On March 4, 2019, resolutions were passed for opening of bank account of the SHGs in Cooperative Bank of Firozabad. Key functionaries of SHGs visited the Cooperative Bank located at Kotla Road, Firozabad. They asked the bank manager to provide them form for opening of the bank accounts of SHGs. But the bank manager told that the form was not available in the bank. They returned.
They once again visited the bank and requested the manager to open the bank account. This time the bank manager told them that the account would be opened after two months. SHG members approached the project team members on the issue. The team members met the DDM of NABARD. The DDM raised the issue with the manager of main branch of Cooperative Bank.
This message was further communicated to members/leaders of the SHGs that they should approach the main cooperative bank and make complaint against the Kotla Road branch manager. Leaders of two SHGs visited the main branch of cooperative bank and lodged complaints against the bank manager.
They met the higher authority, Mr Varun Kumar, Assistant Director, and narrated their problems. They told Mr Kumar that they had all the documents for opening of the bank account, but were facing problems. Visiting to bank affected their wages.
On Mr Kumar’s suggestion, SHGs leaders again visited Kotla Cooperative Bank Branch and informed the bank manager that they had met Mr Kumar. Than bank manager told them that guarantors were needed for opening the bank account. Leaders verified this guarantor issue with Mr Kumar and on his confirmation about the same they arranged the guarantor.
Following this bank accounts of two SHGs were opened at Kotla Cooperative Bank. This clearly indicates that if SHGs are empowered enough to raise their voice and assert their rights, they can achieve anything that is due to them.