Context: The National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC) has launched and is actively implementing Swayamshakti Sahakar Yojna and Nandini Sahakar to promote financial inclusion and entrepreneurship among women-led cooperatives.
About Schemes for Women Cooperatives:
- Swayamshakti Sahakar Yojna:
- Aim: To provide affordable and accessible credit to women-led Self-Help Groups (SHGs) and cooperatives for collective socio-economic activities and sustainable livelihoods.
- Features:
- Targets PACS, DCCBs, StCBs, and SHG federated cooperatives.
- Enables women SHGs to access low-cost financial services for livelihood generation.
- Promotes financial inclusion and self-reliance in rural economies.
- Nandini Sahakar:
- Aim: To offer a holistic support system including financial aid, capacity building, and business model development for women cooperatives.
- Features:
- Excludes urban housing but includes all other economic sectors.
- Focus on entrepreneurial training, business planning, and interest subvention.
- Promotes women-led cooperatives under the vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat.
Relevance in UPSC Exam Syllabus
- GS Paper 2:
- Welfare schemes for vulnerable sections, especially women.
- Role of NGOs, SHGs, and co-operatives in development.
- GS Paper 3:
- Inclusive growth and issues arising from it.
- Indian economy – Mobilization of resources, banking, and financial inclusion.
