Shiv Sena, BJP bat for women self-help groups

Allegedly wary of losing votes ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, the Shiv Sena and the BJP have come out in the defence of women self-help groups, who work under Suvarna Jayanti Shahari Rojgar Yojana (Golden Jubilee Urban Employment Scheme).

The scheme is set to be replaced by a new one named National Urban Livelihood Mission (NULM) scheme, which will be executed beginning next month.

As of now, 2,000 self-help groups have been registered under the old scheme, launched with an aim to empower women from the below poverty line (BPL) by way of providing financial assistance to take up small scale works. The scheme was launched during the National Democratic Alliance's (NDA) regime in December 1997.

"The golden jubilee scheme was launched with an objective to empower women. As of now, 7,500 people have been benefited through the scheme. In Mumbai, there are more than 2,000 self-help groups, through which monetary assistance of Rs3 crore are disbursed annually. However, the scheme is being replaced now with NULM and the livelihood of women dependent or part of self-help groups will be in trouble," Shiv Sena leader and mayor Sunil Prabhu said.

Prabhu, who addressed media on the sidelines of an agitation launched by the members of city self-help groups at Azad Maidan, alleged the new scheme is likely to benefit those who run businesses illegally.

"Hence, it will demoralise those who toil to earn bread and butter honestly. Besides, in the new scheme, the government has offered Rs10,000 as monthly assistance, as against Rs25,000 provided under the old scheme. I have written a letter to governor K Sankarnarayanan, seeking to look into troubles of the self-help groups," Prabhu, flanked by chief of BMC's women and child welfare committee and BJP corporator Rajshree Shirvadkar, said.

Opposition leader and Congress corporator Devendra Amberkar though took potshots at Prabhu saying the ruling parties have come out in support of the self help groups with vote banks in mind. "The golden jubilee scheme will expire in two weeks. So, it is unlikely that NULM will go and the Shiv Sena and BJP are pretty aware of it. Still, they are taking up the issue at the last moment and pretending to be supportive of demands made by self help groups. This shows they are eying votes from slums as majority of the help group members live in shanties," Amberkar pointed out.