FATEHGARH SAHIB: Self Help Group's (SHG) formation in Fatehgarh Sahib district in 1999-2000 has become a mass movement with the SHG's crossing 1000 mark in a short span.

The scheme was prepared by National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) which has facilitated formation of 1028 groups with the active involvement of CDPOs and Development Officer (Women programme) and pro active role played by the district administration.

Loan has been provided to 903 groups by banks. About 15,000 people mostly women have become members of these groups. These groups are mostly women groups with the membership ranging from 10-20. All the members of the groups regularly save the money as determined by the groups with mutual consent and contribute to a common fund. After 6 months of regular savings these groups can avail loan from commercial, cooperative and Regional rural banks up to 4 times of the group saving at the time of loan. Loan is given to these groups by banks with the minimum of documentation involving lease of cost and without third party guarantee or any collateral security. The loan can be utilized by members for their family needs or for undertaking economic activities. These groups are undertaking activities like Dairy, Knitting, Stitching of clothes, Embroidery works, Soft toy making, retail marketing of  products, Kiryana/Muniary shop, Boutique etc. Many success stories have emerged.

In village Bassian in Khera block of district Fatehgarh Sahib Baba Jorawar Singh Self Help Group was
formed on July 16,2003 by Anganwari worker attached to CDPO office with NABARD support. This group has 12 members. Each member of the group is saving Rs 200 per month. It has opened saving bank account with Punjab and Sind Bank, Chunni Kalan. The members are regularly taking loan from the group and repaying to the group timely  out of the income from the activities undertaken by the members.

One of the members of the group Sarabjit Kaur has availed loan from the group and is running a boutique named Parneet Boutique at Chunni Kalan. She is stitching clothes with wide variety of works like embroidery, paint work and is stitching clothes for the local population. She is earning handsomely. She has also trained 20-25 women in trade like stitching and embroidery and is employing 10 women. This has resulted in employment of these women and they are supplementing their family income. Another member of the group , Jaspal Kaur is doing the work of cotton filing in quilts. Some members are doing the work of Phulkari and Durry making. This has resulted in increase in their family income.

Another group Guru Nank SHG was formed in January ,2001 by CDPO office. This group is saving Rs 50 per member per month. This group availed loan of Rs 50,000 from Fatehgarh Sahib  Central Cooperative Bank, Badali Ala Singh on September 16,2004 and after repaying the loan again availed a loan of Rs 1,50,000 on July 4, 2006. Some of the members has used the loan for repair of house, marriage of daughter. One member has  opened hardware shop. This has resulted in increase in their family income.  Ashwani Kumar, Assistant General Manager(District Development) NABARD  said more and more people should become members of these groups and increase their income level, social status and
empowerment.