Journal of Indian School of Political Economy

Anuradha Kalhan ¹

Affiliations
1 Department of Economics, Jai Hind College, University of Mumbai, IN

Abstract

This paper examines the impact of Swarna Jayanti Shahari Rozgar Yojna (SJSRY), a poverty alleviation policy, in Delhi; in addition, it compares the impact of SJSRY, across two cities, Delhi and Mumbai.

SJSRY was operational nationally since 1.12. 1997.It was designed to provide skill/training, to form Self Help Groups, link groups to scheduled banks and create access to micro credit at reasonable rates from scheduled banks. It also aimed to spawn individual and group based micro enterprises, and create a self-managed hierarchy of local institutions with self-help groups at the base, their area level societies and ward level federations above. The scheme is more recently sub-sumed under the National Urban Livelihood Mission.

This paper examines the nature of human, social, financial and physical capital formation occurring through women in SHGs in two metropolitan cities Mumbai and Delhi. Methodologically, it does so through field work using probability sampling and juxtaposing the non-beneficiaries (control group) and beneficiaries of this scheme. It uses the primary, quantitative and qualitative data obtained to analyse the impact of the policy. The mechanisms for delivery in the two cities examined here are different, as are the outcomes.

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Anuradha Kalhan ¹

Affiliations
1 Nehru Memorial Museum and Library, New Delhi, IN

Abstract

This study surveyed beneficiaries over 2009-12 of a ‘Sustainable Livelihood’ oriented scheme, Swaran Jayanti Shahari Rozgar Yojna (SJSRY), launched in 1997. Funded by the Centre and the State in the ratio of 75:25, it aims to spawn micro enterprises, provide skills/training to individuals and Self-Help Groups and create a self-managed hierarchy of local management institutions with groups, societies and federations. The study compares the nature of human, social and physical capital generated within Self-Help Groups (SHG) sponsored by the municipal corporation with a control group of non-beneficiaries in the slums of Mumbai, to find that the beneficiaries experience an accelerated frequency of human and social capital formation. SHGs also invested in micro enterprises given access to credit and training. This is occurring despite the fact that beneficiaries were women at a lower income level, most having been targeted as poor by the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai. The survey finds that the SHG members are improving their human and social capital; the paper suggests policies to strengthen and replicate the policy in other urban centers where the poor are amassing. The sustenance of inclusive production is perhaps the only viable foundation of inclusive growth.

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