11

Theme- Micro-Finance & Technology

it was also proposed to introduce a new

document's salient discussion points in

system of community-based computer

the minutes book. A carbon copy of the

entrepreneurs who would provide

RMTS goes to the CM who enters the

accounting services to the SHGs for a

data sheet into the McFinancier

reasonable payment. His/her scale of

software and produces a variety of

operations would be at a level of 150 -

outputs. The outputs are in local

200 SHGs, expandable up to 300 SHGs,

language enabling the groups to use

resulting in a higher amount of return,

the  computer-generated  sheets

which will attract him/her to adopt this

without external help. The CM can

as a viable employment option to be

supply information to PRADAN also on

taken up in the long run. A computer

various

parameters

of

group

software named McFinancier was

performance. The CM is paid by the

developed by Sharada Computer

SHGs as well as PRADAN, resulting in a

The objective is to

Services. Initially it was an off-the-shelf

decent earning from a clientele of

have a

software, which was then modified for

about 150 to 200 SHGs. The objective is

community-based

PRADAN's

purposes.

Some

to

have

a

community-based

computerised

improvement work is still on to make the

computerised accounting system for

accounting

software more specific to PRADAN use.

the SHGs that is sustainable

system for the

SHGs that is

Currently there are 50 CMs in PRADAN

sustainable

The  reason  for  introducing  the

serving the 6,000 SHGs in the 25 blocks.

Computer Munshi (CM) system instead

The setting up of these CMs has been

of keeping the system in-house is that

supported by CARE-INDIA, SIDBI-SFMC

PRADAN did not want to get involved

and NABARD-MCID.

in the day-to-day operations of the

SHGs. The idea was that the SHGs would

Overall Schema of the Computer

access services from the CM and so

Munshi System

would PRADAN. PRADAN's efforts and

energies spent on setting up an

The CM and the SHGs are an organically

entrepreneur-based and automated

linked system. The overall layout of the

service provision system added more

system is as above. The data from the

value than PRADAN providing services

SHGs on a weekly basis travel to the CM

directly.

through a network of drop boxes and

messengers. The CM enters the data in

The CM system is a community-based

the computer and sends back the

system in which the CM, equipped with

outputs through the same network, in

a computer provides accounting

time for the next weekly meeting. The

services to the SHGs to earn a decent

main statement that goes to the group

remuneration at the end of the month.

on a weekly basis is called the RMTS II

With the advent of computerised

that lists the loan repayments to be

accounts, the number of group

made to the SHG in the next meeting. It

documents was reduced to two - one

lists each and every loan instalment and

interest to be paid back to the SHG in

RMTS book and one minutes book. The

the next meeting. The SHG uses this

group has a village-level accountant to

statement to monitor timely loan

make entries in the RMTS book and

repayment. As mentioned earlier, there

are other statements that are provided

to the SHGs and PRADAN on a monthly

Fig: 1

The Computer Munshi system