Society For Rural Improvement
 
 
 
ADMIN    
 
 
     
NEWS UPDATE
 
ABOUT US

SALIENT FEATURES

SRI emphasizes on Micro-credit instead of Macro-credit.  The following salient features of Grameen Banking System with necessary modifications, are incorporated in this Project:-

Collateral free Micro-credit is advanced exclusively to the poor and needy rural women. 
Micro-credit is taken to their door steps.

Beneficiaries are considered regardless of caste, color, creed, religion or political affiliation.
Micro-credit provided must be utilized for an economically viable and environmentally sustainable income generating activity.

Freedom and flexibility is given to select the income generating activity depending upon individual choice and the local socio economic, labour, marketing conditions etc.
Micro-credit is repaid within a year in weekly installments, with a repayment record of 100%.

Women form Groups of like-minded people who act as mutual collateral.

Teach the beneficiaries group binding, group dynamism, problem solving skills, individual and collective responsibility, accountability, leadership and skill up-grading.

Inculcate the habit of thrift and savings.

Motivate them about the significance of building social assets along with economic assets in the Empowerment process.

Simplicity, efficiency and transparency in all transactions and operation.

PROJECT OPERATION

The SRI project,  after two decades is having a repayment record of almost 100%.  Poverty being a comparative statement, there are no uniform yard sticks or artificial standards to distinguish the poor from the not so poor. However, taking local socio-economic conditions and other variable into consideration, the following general criteria is used as a guideline to screen and select the beneficiaries.

Location & accessability

Availability of basic infrastructure, such as roads, water, electricity etc.

Availability of public services, such as transportation, schools, hospitals etc.

Annual income

Property value
Source of subsistence

Condition of home and home-stead.
Condition of health / Serious illness.

Number of adults and minor children

Whether men folk are abusive or alcoholic

Other rational and prudent judgments depending upon the particular situation.
 
 

GROUP

Women form group of like-minded people.  An intensive one week training on Grameen concepts, objectives and functions is given to the beneficiaries before disbursement of the loan.
Loans are repaid within a year in regular weekly installments during weekly center meetings at a time and a place selected by the beneficiaries.  The Group Leaders and Centre Leader conduct the meeting with the loan Co-ordinator from SRI acting as a facilitator.  New loan proposals, recycling loans, request for withdrawal of savings etc. are submitted, discussed and resolved during the meetings.  This is also a platform to discuss other important socio-economic issues.
A significant aspect in the repayment schedule is the voluntary savings system along with the group fund savings proportionate to the loan, to inculcate a habit of thrift and saving among the beneficiaries.
     

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