Male SGHs: A new path to financial independence
Members of a male SHG meeting in Tirupati
Tirupati: Building on the success of women’s self-help groups (SHGs), the state government has introduced a new initiative targeting men’s economic empowerment. The programme, called AP Male Self-Help Groups, aims to promote financial self-reliance by offering low-interest loans, skill development training and opportunities for self-employment across various sectors.
Inspired by the transformative impact of women’s SHGs, such as the Development of Women and Children in Rural Areas (DWCRA), which empowered countless women financially, the government has now extended the model to men.
The NDA government wanted to lend a supporting hand to the families in the urban areas which have been finding it difficult to sustain their livelihood with meagre incomes. The initiative seeks to address unemployment and financial instability among men while contributing to the state’s overall economic growth.
In Tirupati district, the programme has set a target of forming 179 male SHGs, with Tirupati urban accounting for the highest share of 72 groups. So far, 52 groups have been established. Similarly, Chittoor district has formed 50 groups out of its target of 78. Unlike women’s DWCRA groups, which comprise ten members, male SHGs will consist of five members.
Also called as Common Interest Group (CIG), each group member is eligible for a loan of Rs.50,000 from banks with a total group can get Rs 2.5 lakh.
Members must repay the loan on time to qualify for higher loan limits in the future. Additionally, participants are required to contribute Rs.100 monthly as savings, which will be deposited into their bank accounts.
Dr D Raveendra, Project Director of MEPMA (Mission for Elimination of Poverty in Municipal Areas), emphasised that the initiative will provide skill development training, bookkeeping lessons and professional tools for the members. He told The Hans India that resource persons will assist participants with loan applications and other administrative needs.
The programme, which began in November, is currently in a 100-day action plan phase and is expected to operate fully by April 2025. Men aged 18 to 60 years, engaged in professions such as street vending, construction work, sanitation, gig work, domestic services, transportation, and caregiving, are eligible to join.
Interested applicants can visit their local MEPMA offices or contact resource persons with their white ration card and Aadhaar card for verification and other details.
By providing training, financial support, and tools to enhance livelihoods, the male SHG initiative is poised to mirror the success of women’s SHGs and pave the way for sustainable economic empowerment for men in the state.
