12

Sa-Dhan Patrika

Volume 7,

Issue 1, September 2006

solve any conflicts that may be

basis. The tasks that each of the actor

there

performs is detailed below:

12. Constantly monitor the total

Tasks of the various actors

system

through

Cluster

The tasks of the group accountant:

meetings and occasional

group visits.

1.

Fill up the RMTS

2.

Fill up each member pass book

Uniqueness of the system of Computer

3.

Write the minutes book

Munshi

The filled-up RMTS goes to the CM

Through the maintenance of SHG

through a collection system (drop boxes

accounts and MIS based on a

and messengers).

community based and financed

The tasks of the CM:

network, the SHG accounts become

1.  Check the RMTS that has come

autonomous of the NGO but are

from the group for mistakes

accurate and timely. This is the only such

2.  Enter the corrected data sheet

known attempt in the country.

into the computer

3.  Print out RMTS II and send to

As of today, even though the SHG

SHG

movement is the largest microfinance

4.  Prepare the group data

programme in the country, the quality

consolidation

and

trial

of the groups, especially of systems, has

balance once a month

not been a prime concern of the various

5.  Receive payment from the

stakeholders. The attention has been

group

mainly on the number of groups;

6.  Provide data to PRADAN for a

quantum of bank linkage etc. and the

charge, once a month.

crucial questions on quality have never

been asked. The CM endeavour

The role of the PRADAN professional:

attempts to put the attention back on

1.

Introduce the books (minutes

the quality of groups, especially of

book, pass book) and RMTS in

systems. In the majority of the SHG

groups

programmes it can seen that either the

2.  Help the group identify the

NGO  staff  themselves  provide

accountant and thoroughly

accounting services to the SHGs or the

train him/her in maintaining

NGO staff are not bothered about the

RMTS

quality of SHG accounts, because they

3.  Set up systems in the teams for

are pressed for time with activities that

the weekly data from the SHGs

are more developmental in nature.

to reach the CM after every

meeting

The challenge that has been taken up

4.  Hold

monthly

training

here is to ensure that the quality of

programmes on accounts

accounts maintenance is ensured, but

entry, trouble shooting etc

based on a community-based system,

5.  Make the members of the SHGs

rather than the same remaining the

concern of the promoting NGO, ad

aware of the importance of

infinitum. The argument is that the task

accounts and transparent

maintenance of the system,

of accounts maintenance of SHGs is too

and also the necessity of

important to be made dependent on

paying the accountant and

an external system such as that of the

the CM

NGO. And for the NGO, this is too non-

6.  Recruit, train and equip the CM

developmental in nature to be

7.  Establish a sustainable business

engaged in at all. Thus we need a

It creates a

relationship between the SHGs

system owned and supported by the

computerised

and the CM

SHGs, where their routine tasks are

base for any future

8.  Regularly update skills of the

carried out efficiently and the quality is

IT interventions/

CM, counsel him on how to

also maintained.

improvements

improve services, provide on-

(Simputers, PDAs)

job assistance

The promoter NGO and credit provider

9.  Carry out random checks on

also has access to timely and accurate

the financial statements that

information on all aspects of SHG

are produced by the CM for

functioning, in addition to financials, to

the groups

help in strategising inputs. This system

10. See that the groups are

also enables the PRADAN staff to have

regularly providing the data to

access to information as and when

the CM and getting prompt

required. They need do no extra data

outputs

entry work to have access to the

11. See that the groups are

information.

regularly paying the CM and