Mahalir Thittam
Tamil Nadu Corporation for Development of Women
The Tamil Nadu Corporation for Development of Women (TNCDW) was established in 1983 by the Government of Tamil Nadu with the primary objective of social and economic empowerment of women through education, employment, economic development and self-reliance.
Schemes implemented by TNCDW
TNCDW is implementing the following important projects:
- Tamil Nadu State Rural Livelihood Mission (TNSRLM).
- Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana (DDU GKY).
- Tamil Nadu Urban Livelihood Mission (TNULM).
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Tamil Nadu State Rural Livelihood Mission
Tamil Nadu State Rural Livelihood Mission is implemented by the Government of Tamil Nadu from the year 2012-13.
The primary objective of TNSRLM is to reduce poverty by enabling poor households to engage in gainful self-employment and skilled wage employment through livelihood interventions and facilitating access to financial and other services. This is sought to be achieved through building strong and vibrant institutional platforms of the poor and organising them into active Community Based Organisation for providing sustainable livelihood opportunities.Activities under TNSRLM
The objective of TNSRLM is to increase the household income of the poor through livelihood enhancement and access to financial and other services which is sought to be achieved through the following activities.
Social Mobilization and Institution Building (SM&IB):
Formation of new Self-Help Groups (SHGs)
Social Mobilization ensures women between 18 to 60 years of age are formed into Self Help Group (SHG) with 12-20 members.
Financial Support to SHGs
- Revolving Fund (RF)
One time grant of Rs.15,000 is given to SHGs after grading to augment their corpus and to supplement their internal savings to support internal lending. - Community Investment Fund (CIF)
An amount upto Rs.1.50 lakh per SHG is released as Community Investment Fund through PLF to undertake economic activities at the rate of 9% interest. - Vulnerability Reduction Fund (VRF)
The differently abled and vulnerable persons identified in the PIP list are provided with Vulnerability Reduction Fund through VPRCs ranging from Rs.10,000/- to Rs.25,000/- for consumption purposes or production activities to reduce their vulnerability.
Capacity Building
Trainings such as SHG members training, Animator and Representative training, VPRC bookkeepers training, PLF Office Bearers training, BLF Office Bearers training and BLF bookkeepers training are given to impart knowledge and awareness to all members and representatives for enhancing knowledge, leadership, management and decision-making. This has led to creation of social capital from the target community who act as a conduit for last mile delivery of services.
Financial Inclusion and Micro Credit
TNCDW has taken up the task of promoting financial inclusion and delivering important financial services to the poor such as:
- Opening of savings bank accounts.
- Facilitating access to bank credit for consumption and Production.
- Provision of insurance services.
- Making pension products available.
SHG Bank Linkage
Right to Credit is ensured through easy access, adequate credit, and timely disbursement at an affordable interest rate.
PLFs are promoted as financial intermediaries and provide Bulk Loan to prevent the SHGs from falling prey to private money lenders charging exorbitant interest rate.
SHGs can avail Term Loan or Cash Credit Limit (CCL) or both based on the need of the SHGs. Term Loan is repayable in fixed installments. Cash Credit Limit (CCL) is an operative limit sanctioned with a minimum of Rs.6 lakhs for a period of 3 years with annual Drawing Power (DP). Credit Guarantee Fund for Micro Units (CGFMU) loan scheme is available to matured SHGs having credit needs above Rs.10 lakhs and upto Rs.20 lakhs.Livelihood Promotion
One of the main objectives of TNSRLM is that every rural household shall undertake 2 or 3 livelihood activities so as to ensure that the poor rural people are assured of a minimum income to sustain their families even in difficult times. Also, through the various livelihood interventions, it is sought to ensure that the annual income of every rural household is not less than a lakh rupee.
The livelihood promotion measures are broadly categorized as:- Farm activities
- Non-Farm activities
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Farm Activities
Farm activities lay emphasis on crop production, primary processing and value chain management. More rural women are engaged in farm activities and profile is changing from labourer to cultivator and agripreneur.
Producer Groups
The farmers are aggregated into Producer Groups who are growing same crops and face similar opportunities and risks. Producer Groups are provided with Rs.2 lakhs as Revolving Fund, for working capital and infrastructure support to improve their productivity and profitability. Apart from financial support, training on Business Plan preparation, identification of products for enterprise promotion and new technological interventions are provided.
Integrated Farming Cluster
To reap the benefits of synergies across various farm and off-farm activities, the method of aligning crop-based farming practice with livestock is taken up. This provides multiple income generating opportunities and reduces cost of inputs by using bio manure. Around 250 women farmers from 2 to 3 village panchayats are formed into clusters. Rs.20 lakhs per cluster is provided for establishment of Livelihood Service Centre, procurement of livestock, practicing inter cropping establishment of bio input units, setting up of Custom Hiring Centre’s and training on branding and marketing.
Natural Farming Clusters
Natural Farming is a chemical-free traditional farming method and agro-ecological farming system being revived to protect the environment and produce High Value natural produce. Groups of 50 farmers from contiguous villages interested in natural farming practices are provided Rs.6 lakhs for capacity building, registration and certification, setting up of organic input shop and for promotion of Integrated Farming System.
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Non-Farm Livelihood Activities
Non-farm activities are an important livelihood option for the poor in rural areas. Handholding support is provided to nano and micro enterprises led by women for manufacturing units, service and trading sector.
Block Business Resource Centre (BBRC)
BBRCs are facilitation centres set up to support the enterprise activities of rural women managed by BLF members. The centres will rope in functional experts from various fields like banking, finance, law, etc. to guide and facilitate the existing and new enterprises will be assisted in the areas of preparation of the business plan, market dynamics, legal compliance, licensing and standardization etc.,
Cluster formation
The objective of cluster formation is to reduce production costs and increase profit margin through achieving economies of scale by pooling in resources within a geographic area.
This approach in unorganized rural economy supports growth, market access and better utilization of common facility centres. An amount of Rs.2.5 lakhs is given to each cluster as supporting cost for initiation and working capital.Marketing of SHG Products
Products of women-led enterprises in rural areas have a great demand but have unequal market opportunities. Several steps have been taken to promote marketing of SHG products through market intelligence, product survey, value addition, etc. TNCDW has been organizing exhibitions, putting up kiosks and shopping complexes for marketing of SHG products.
- Revolving Fund (RF)
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Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana (DDU GKY).
Skill Training for Youth
Skill training to youth is one of the major components for sustainable livelihood promotion. It focusses on identifying the aspirations of the youth, their capacity and aptitude and providing skill training based on skill demand and opportunities in the job market.
Training for employment in private sector
The Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana is a placement linked skill development programme funded by Union Government and Government of Tamil Nadu in the ratio of 60:40. Skill training is provided to youth between 18-35 in different sectors by empanelled agencies. Guaranteed placement to minimum 70% of the trained candidates is the highlight of the program.
Job Mela
Job melas are organized to facilitate the placement for skilled and educated youth in the private sector. Information about the participating companies, vacancies available, eligibility for the different job roles, date and venue of the melas are disseminated in advance to the rural youth through different modes of communication. Candidates are counselled for choosing the job offers based on their qualification and aspirations.
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Tamil Nadu Urban Livelihoods Mission (TNULM)
Tamil Nadu Urban Livelihoods Mission (TNULM) intends to reduce poverty and vulnerability of the urban poor households by building strong community-based organizations of the urban poor and enabling them to access gainful self-employment and skilled wage employment opportunities, resulting in improvement in sustainable livelihoods and better income. TNULM is being implemented in the funding ratio of 60:40 by the Union Government and Government of Tamil Nadu.
Social Mobilization and Institution Development (SMID)
- Formation of Self-Help Groups
TNULM envisages universal social mobilization of urban poor and vulnerable sections into Self Help Groups (SHGs) and their federations. The SHGs formed under TNULM, which have completed their mandatory trainings and 3 months functioning period are graded and provided with Revolving Fund. - Formation of Area Level Federations and Revolving Fund to ALFs
SHGs are federated with a minimum of 10 SHGs as an Area Level Federation (ALF) at the habitation / ward level. ALFs facilitate SHGs, to avail timely institutional credit at an affordable rate of interest and support economic activities of SHGs.
Employment through Skill Training and Placement
This component focuses on providing assistance for development / upgradation of the skills of the urban poor so as to enhance their capacity for self-employment and wage employment. ESTP will target the urban poor who are daily wagers or engaged in seasonal occupation to reduce occupational vulnerability.
Self-Employment Programme
This component focuses on financial assistance to under-employed and unemployed urban poor individuals / groups to set up enterprises based on their skills, training, aptitude and local conditions. They are provided loan with interest subvention to start micro and small enterprises.
Contact Details :
Project Director/Joint Director,
Tamil Nadu State Rural Livelihood Mission,
District Mission Management Unit,
District Collectorate, Ariyalur.
Ph: 04329 – 228505 - Formation of Self-Help Groups