Despite the ongoing unemployment crisis, 41 out of 510 SHGs formed under the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana – National Urban Livelihood Mission since 2014 remain non-functional, Opposition points out
SHILLONG, March 11: Under opposition scrutiny on Tuesday, the ruling government found itself defending its record on urban Self-Help Groups (SHGs). Leader of the Opposition, Mukul Sangma, bluntly stated that if the government’s “best efforts” resulted in such dismal outcomes, then the situation was “pathetic.”
The issue arose during Question Hour in the ongoing budget session of the Assembly, where North Shillong MLA Adelbert Nongrum of the Voice of the People Party (VPP) questioned why, despite the ongoing unemployment crisis, 41 out of 510 SHGs formed under the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana – National Urban Livelihood Mission (DAY-NULM) since 2014 remain non-functional.
Minister in charge of Urban Affairs, Sniawbhalang Dhar, attributed the inactivity to the SHGs themselves, claiming the issue lay “on their side, not the government.” However, his response drew sharp retorts from the Opposition, with Nongrum rejecting the explanation and demanding clarity on the government’s role in monitoring and supporting these groups.
The debate intensified when Nongrum highlighted the stark disparity between urban and rural SHGs. He pointed out that while urban groups received only Rs 10,000 in start-up funds, rural SHGs were allotted a much larger amount — Rs 1,10,000 under the Community Investment Fund. “Why this disparity in the same state?” he asked, questioning the imbalance in government support.
Pressed further on the matter, Dhar admitted that the Rs 10,000 assistance for urban SHGs was insufficient. He announced that the government had proposed an increase to Rs 25,000, though this proposal had yet to be officially sanctioned. However, Nongrum questioned the contradiction between the verbal assurance of Rs 25,000 and the official documents still showing Rs 10,000. “Which one are we supposed to believe?” he asked pointedly.
Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma intervened to clarify that both DAY-NULM and its rural counterpart, the National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM), were central government schemes, and the funding amounts were determined by the Centre, not the state. “Since the whole country felt the amount was too low, we wrote to the Government of India, and there is now confirmation that the assistance will be increased from Rs 10,000 to Rs 25,000. We are waiting for the official sanction,” Sangma explained.
Nongrum, however, remained unconvinced, pointing out the contradiction between the government’s push for the “Lakhpati Didi” scheme, which aims to help women earn Rs 1 lakh annually, and the meager Rs 10,000 being provided to urban SHGs. “How can we expect women to become lakhpatis with just Rs 10,000?” he asked, adding, “Poverty does not mean we cannot provide for the poor — it means we cannot satisfy the rich.”
Structural challenges
The discussion then shifted to the structural challenges faced by urban SHGs. Sangma acknowledged that organising these groups in urban areas was far more complex than in rural regions due to the lack of close-knit community structures. He admitted that while the rural SHG movement had flourished, growing from 5,000 to 51,000 groups over the years, similar success had not been replicated in urban areas, partly due to limited central funding.
Mukul criticised the low number of urban SHGs, calling it “pathetic” given the state’s long-standing push for entrepreneurship and self-reliance. He urged the government to adopt a “convergence approach,” pooling resources from multiple schemes to strengthen the support system for urban SHGs. “If this is the outcome of your best efforts, it clearly means we haven’t tried hard enough,” he said, calling for a brainstorming session to devise more effective interventions.
The chief minister agreed, emphasising that while central funding under DAY-NULM was limited, the state government was leveraging its own programmes, such as the CM Elevate scheme, tourism initiatives, and food processing units, to support SHGs. He also appealed to urban MLAs to help mobilise communities, promising that with additional funds from the Centre, there would be a renewed effort to activate non-functional groups and form new ones.
The Opposition remained firm in its stance, demanding not just verbal assurances but tangible, well-coordinated strategies to empower urban SHGs, bridge the rural-urban gap, and address the state’s growing unemployment crisis.