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At 82, she walks around 6 km everyday in the dingy impoverished lanes of villages under bordering Tehatta-I block in Nadia district with a noble motto - to encourage people for small savings and for small secured family. She was beaten up by the illiterate housewives for advising them for birth control to enable savings. Nevertheless, she did not give up. She is Umarani Biswas- the Lady Yunus. (Md Yunus of Grameen Bank of Bangladesh carried out a similar experiment and was awarded Nobel Peace Prize in 2006)
Carrying a unique sobriquet, Umarani, a resident of Shyamnagar village in Tehatta has garnered what is nothing less than a mass revolution by encouraging people living below the poverty line (BPL) to have their bank accounts swelling like middle income group people. She has encouraged the BPL people in her own manner to avail state government operated small savings schemes in post offices.
In an area close to Indo-Bangladesh border where even thinking of going for any kind of savings or investment is considered as luxury, this old woman has created a magic what great leaders from the days of Jawahar Lal Nehru could not effect. Her mantra to the homemakers is: “Control Birth and Save at least a handful of Rice (ek mootho chaal) everyday from daily meal in a separate container to sell it at the end of the month.” Her concept is to deposit the amount earned by selling in small saving schemes of the government- both central and state. This unique “micro savings” concept, which she introduced during 1970s has yielded an never-thought-before result. Umarani now grossly collects nearly Rupees 45,000 every month from the villagers to deposit in postal savings. This amount was unheard of for the villagers as savings and it was considered impossible. |
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Her journey began during 1970s when she gave herself to social work as a member of erstwhile Mahila Samiti under Family and Social Welfare Department. While working as a volunteer under Family Planning Programe in Shyamnagar, the condition of the poor villagers appalled her. She was beaten up by housewives for speaking in favour of family planning, nevertheless, she did not give up. “I made them understand ultimately the necessity of a small secured family and need for savings”, she said while recalling the incident.
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However, all these were a voluntary service as she said, “Poisaar katha bhavley Samajer kaaj kora jai-na” (By thinking of money all the time, one cannot do anything for the society). Convinced with her growing popularity the local block officials during this period offered her to join as an agent under small savings. Nevertheless, the task was an impossible one as most of the about 2,500 odd families she focused upon were below the poverty line.
To begin with, she could convince only seven families for a monthly savings of rupees five under Cumulative Time Deposit Scheme (CTDS). Then, came the unique concept, which improved the situation. But, the maturity benefit of the first few spelled the magic ultimately to draw more and more people. Notwithstanding, her personal benefit never mattered to her being housewife of a well to do family.” She said, “My endeavour is coming out of my urge for internal satisfaction. And, I have always got support of my husband, who was secretary to local panchayat.”
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Tehatta block officials said that Biswas’s endeavour was not restricted to small savings. She at the same time relentlessly campaigned for practicing good life and most importantly for education of women. The success of convincing people towards savings made an impact towards sanitation as well. Most of the residents of Shyamnagar have now constructed pucca latrines with the amount of interest on their savings. Recently, even the state government has recognised her work and has lauded her efforts towards upliftment of BPL families. Deputy Director of Small Savings in Nadia, Hrishikesh Moodi said, “She is a role model and maneuvered a new mantra for socio economic development of the poor in the state.” But this success has not come overnight. |
It required volumes of patience, loads of determination and unmatchable conviction in the methodology. But, India as country needs many more Lady Yunuses to see the face of BPL India transforming into a prosperous and proud lot.
