Swarnajayanti Gram Swarojgar Yojona (SGSY) is an integrated scheme for providing opportunities of self employment to the rural poor. It was lunched on 1st April 1999. The main objective of this programme is to bring the assisted poor families above the poverty line by ensuring appreciable sustained level of income over a period of time. The assisted families may be individuals or groups (SHG). However the emphasis is on group approach and also with particular emphasis on group formation by women and the weaker sections.

SGSY focuses on organization of the poor at grass root level through a process of social mobilization for poverty eradication. SGSY's approach to organize the poor stems from the conviction that there is a tremendous potential within the poor to help themselves and that the potential can be harnessed by organizing them. Social mobilization enables the poor to build their own organization in which they participate fully and directly and take decision on all issues concerning poverty eradication.

SGSY is being implemented by the District Rural Development Cell of the Zilla Parishad with the active participation of Panchayati Raj Institution, the banks, the line departments and the non govt. organizations. Under the SGSY, generally a self help group may consist of 10 to 20 persons. They agree to save regularly and convert their savings into a common fund known as the group corpus. The members of the groups agree to use this common fund and such other funds that they may receive as a group through a common management. The group efforts also help them to participate in various social and economic development programmes of the government and to receive benefits of various public goods and services targeted towards the poor. SGSY is funded both by the central and the state Governments in the ratio 75:25.

The main components of the scheme:-
i) Formation of SHGs of rural poor households.
ii) Capacity building training for managing the SHGs and skill training to take up Micro Enterprises.
iii) Strengthening thrift & credit in SHGs by providing revolving fund support.
iv) Credit linkage with banks/other financial institutions & back ended subsidy for eligible SHGs/members to take up Micro Enterprises.
v) Provision of support for marketing & infrastructure creation to strengthen the forward & backward linkages.
vi) Technology inputs for micro enterprises

Purba Medinipur District is pioneer one in West Bengal in implementation of SGSY programme, specially in formation of Self Help Group (SHG) and its institutions, like Sub-Cluster, Cluster & block level Federations covering more than 2,20,000 families, 22356 SHGs have been formed & 20257 SHGs have been passed 1st grading. 20232 SHGs have started economic activities with their savings, bank credit and financial assistance by DRDC (Revolving Fund). Total savings of all SHGs under this district is Rs.7767.88 lakh as on 31.03.2012.

Out of 2535 Sansad and 223 GPs, in 2039 Sansad & 204 GP, Sub-Cluster & Clusters have already been formed respectively as on January 2012. In five (5) blocks, namely Tamluk, Panskura, Ramnagar-I, Bhagwanpur-I & Patashpur-I Block Federation has been formed. Tamluk Block Federation, Tamluk Block Mahila Bikash Mahasangha, is one of the best not only in West Bengal but also in India. A Cooperative Bank, Tamluk Block Mahila Bikash Credit Cooperative Society Limited, which was setup first in West Bengal on Pilot basis, is well managed by the Federation.

SGSY has been restructured as National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM) to implement it in a mission mode in a phased manner for targeted and time bound delivery of results. The main objectives of this programme:-
1. Universal social mobilization through formation of SHGs. This will ensure that at least one member of each rural BPL household, preferably a woman member of the household, is brought under the Self Help Group (SHG) net.
2. Form strong Peoples Institutions, by setting up of setting up of federations of SHGs from village panchayat to district levels. These federations will not only provide voice and strength to its members, but will also handhold the SHGs through providing all kinds of support services.
3. Universal financial inclusion will be furthered through linking the SHGs, banks and other Financial Institutions for securing credit.
4. Focus on ensuring skilled wage employment for rural youth through placement linked skill development projects.

The two major strategies under NRLM are that –
1) NRLM will be a demand driven programme & the states will formulate their own poverty reduction action plans under it based on their past experience, resources and skills base.
2) NRLM will provide for a professional support structure for programme implementation at all levels from national to sub district level in different strings.

Our District, Purba Medinipur has been selected as one of eight NRLP district in West Bengal under NRLM and four (4) Development Blocks, namely, Tamluk, Nandigram-I, Khejuri-II & Ramnagar-I has been selected as intensive blocks in 1st phase. In the next three year all the remaining blocks will become under NRLM.