Ranchi (Jharkhand): With more than 32 lakh rural women associated with self-help groups (SHGs) in Jharkhand, the state government is pushing for stronger bank credit support to help them expand income generating activities and establish sustainable enterprises. Rural Development Minister Deepika Pandey Singh has proposed credit linkages of up to Rs 15 lakh for SHGs to strengthen their businesses, increase turnover and improve women’s incomes.
The proposal was raised at the 97th quarterly meeting of the State Level Bankers’ Committee (SLBC), held on Thursday under the chairmanship of Finance Minister Radha Krishna Kishore. Singh said SHG members had demonstrated financial discipline and maintained strong credit records, making it important to provide them with greater access to institutional finance.
She also stressed that rural women should get more opportunities as Bank Sakhis and Business Correspondents (BCs), allowing them to contribute to banking services while earning an income. The minister called for stronger coordination between banks and departments to ensure that financial assistance reaches women entrepreneurs.
Focusing on rural banking infrastructure, Singh urged banks to increase branches and ATMs in remote areas. Under the Digital Panchayat initiative, 335 of 673 locations identified in the first phase and 571 of 1,848 locations selected in the second phase have received bank approval.
She also called for timely loans to candidates trained at Rural Self Employment Training Institutes (RSETIs), saying training alone cannot ensure self employment without access to finance. Bank supported pilot projects under the NARI scheme in every district were also proposed to promote women’s entrepreneurship and rural industrialisation.
