The government runs many schemes to make the women of the country empowered and self-reliant. Given the Corona epidemic, such a scheme has been given more momentum. One such scheme is the Bank Sakhi scheme, in which emphasis is laid on making rural women financially independent.
Under this scheme, rural women are made bank sakhis who fulfil the bank-related needs of the people in the village. Bank Sakhi provides banking facilities to those who cannot go to the bank or the bank is far away from home.
This scheme is going on fast in Uttar Pradesh. Other states of the country are also empowering rural women by adopting this scheme. This scheme was started in UP last year. Under this, every bank sakhi was given an honorarium of Rs 4 thousand for 6 months.
In addition, 50 thousand rupees were given by the government for the purchase of devices like laptops. A laptop is needed because, with this, work related to the bank is done by roaming around the village. People cannot go to the bank, even then they can get the bank's work done sitting at home.
Scheme running in many parts of the country
In many parts of the country, this scheme is making rural women financially empowered. Jyoti of Rajgarh district of Bhopal division is also taking full advantage of this livelihood mission. Jyoti told 'Money9' that the Bank Sakhi program has made her completely self-reliant.
Jyoti has not only become self-sufficient through this scheme, but she is also doing her studies while helping the family with the money she earns. After doing their MA, she started studying LLB and is running all the work with her own money.
Jyoti tells that amid a severe corona pandemic, she has done transactions worth more than one crore by going to the villages. While helping people, a new identity has been created in the villages, as well as the ability to be self-reliant has been created.
Good commission income
There is no fixed honorarium as a bank sakhi, but there is good earning in the form of commission on transactions. Jyoti tells that now she earns up to 40 thousand rupees every month. This amount is sufficient to run the household.
While meeting the expenses of her studies, Jyoti also takes care of the household expenses. Like other bank sakhi women, Jyoti has also taken training from the bank and after that, she works in the villages with her laptop. Anyone who has to do bank-related work, or withdraw money, takes Jyoti's help.
Training under livelihood mission
In fact, under the Livelihood Mission, training is given to the women joining the Bank Sakhi programme. Loans are given by the government to buy laptops etc. Jyoti did the same and bought a laptop by taking a loan and joined the Bhyana branch of Madhya Pradesh Gramin Bank.
Jyoti today provides banking-related facilities to people in 6 villages around Bhyana. Today Jyoti has two laptops and a scooter for this purpose.
Similarly, women from other states are also doing this work by taking training and becoming self-reliant. State governments are rapidly increasing this scheme so that rural self-employment can be promoted and people can get banking facilities at home.
