18

Sa-Dhan Patrika

Volume 6

Issue 2

see what was available under SVY and

outstandings. The outstanding was

understand the simple procedures.

analysed once in a quarter. It was

Additionally, a new cadre of field

difficult to judge the health of the

functionaries called Yojana Sahayaks

programme or the performance of

has been developed. These sahayaks

various credit products. Then information

have been given the responsibility of

on repayment rate was generated. This

promoting SVY schemes in four to five

had to be done manually, as the

villages and providing services like

accounting software did not have a

appraising the potential of an activity

loan tracking system. As the programme

for a family, helping the participant fill

grew, this was a time-consuming job.

the  application,  follow  up  on

Besides, many other ratios were required

repayments and providing technical

to be generated for analysis. A software

support or ensuring availability of

was developed with both loan tracking

technical support to the participants.

facility as well as accounting facilities.

Though there are continual additions

Government schemes: The government

being requested in the software, the

Initially the

has many grant-based schemes for the

team can now generate, at any point

participants felt

tribal areas. The government provides

of  time,  the  cumulative/on-time-

that Dhruva's SVY

subsidies for many inputs, which are

repayment rates, aging of the overdues,

schemes should

available on credit from Dhruva. Initially

both area-wise and purpose-wise. This

have a subsidy

the participants felt that Dhruva's SVY

has been of tremendous help in

like the

schemes should have a subsidy like the

improving the design of credit schemes

government

government schemes. People have

at the programme office level. At the field

schemes

now recognised that the time involved

level, the regular reports help the staff to

due to the various procedures make the

closely monitor delayed repayments.

government scheme a costlier affair. But

there is a tendency among people to

Learnings

ask for subsidy. Convincing them about

Many learnings have emerged from the

the power of credit has been an uphill

SVY programme experience, some of

task.

which are listed below:

Staff Turnover: The remote and difficult

Scheme Design: Credit for activities of

area has resulted in quick turnover of staff.

an experimental nature is not advisable.

Often trained and experienced staff,

In the endeavour to increase family

capable of handling the various aspects

income, crops new to the area/new high-

of the programme, leave after a few

yielding varieties are promoted. But for

years with the organisation. A lot of time

a credit scheme to be a success, new

and energy has to be continually

activities should be first tested before

invested in building the capacities of

designing a scheme around it.

new staff. Given the multidisciplinary

roles which the staff have to handle, this

For ensuring benefit to the participants,

process takes time.

schemes should be tailored to meet their

needs. Those schemes, which had not

been discussed with the participants

before launching, did not receive a good

3.

Programme implementation cost

response. On being modified to suit their

Dhruva currently borrows for the SVY

needs, the demand for the scheme

programme at 6 per cent and onlends

increased. At the outset, the full

to the GVMs at 10 per cent. The spread

implications of the credit involved in the

available to meet the overheads of the

activity should be made clear to the

activity is just 4 per cent, which, given

concerned person. There should be no

the current volumes, is not adequate. In

ambiguity on the amount payable.

addition to salaries, travelling and other

administration costs, capacity building

Insurance of assets is very important. This

and awareness generation costs are also

ensures that risk is covered and any

substantial. Given the development

mishap doesn't add to the burden of

approach  of  Dhruva,  there  is  a

the family.

reluctance to charge a rate higher than

People's Organisations: Strong POs give

that charged by banks. There are plans

better results. The GVMs with active

to build the capacities of the apex POs

management committees are availing

-- registered cooperatives- to take over

most of the schemes of Dhruva and are

SVY activity and gradually link them with

acting like community banks, making

the

mainstream

banks/financial

finance available to their members.

institutions. Dhruva will be an alternative

only if the mainstream banks/financial

Programme design: The programme

institutions are not responsive.

approach should be suited to the

requirement of the area. A `one-scheme-

4.

MIS

fits-all' approach will not meet the

The reports during the initial period

needs of the participants.

showed just the credit disbursed,

The post project scenario should be kept

repayments

received

and

the

in mind while designing the programme.