SEEMA (name changed), who is serving a life sentence at the female prison of the Yerawada Central Jail, for the first time had a cash amount of Rs 10,000 in her bank account when she sought parole to visit her ailing mother and children.
She is a member of a self-help group of 13, each of whom could deposit more than Rs 12,000 in their accounts with the State Bank of India (SBI) over the last one year. Behind this success story are the SBI and the Janeev Sanghatana, who introduced the micro-credit system in the jail for the first time last year.
Today a year later, there are three groups in the jail comprising 37 members. The SBI is now interested in reaching out to the 235 women convicts. According to Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Prisons (Western Region) Madhav Karve, more women would be initiated into the micro-credit system to make them self reliant, as this entails compulsory saving. The SBI had launched an embroidery training course.
“As of now, they earn around Rs 17 to 18 per day and with orders for embroidery work, they stand to earn Rs 35 per day,” says Mahananda Alyalmath, manager micro-credit system, SBI. She says, “The inmates have to show a saving deposit of Rs 10,000 while seeking permission for parole and with this micro-credit system, it becomes easier for them,” she says. The self-help groups have been formed with members of the Janeev Sanghatana along with women jail guards for operating the accounts.
To ensure all inmates get adequate work, the SBI is planning to repeat the embroidery training course. According to Karve, it will not only be an income generation, but also help them emerge more confident individuals when they leave these premises.
Source: Pune Newsline, ExpressIndia.com
http://cities.expressindia.com/fullstory.php?newsid=238248
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