Nagaland: NSRLM and IDFC agree to deploy BC Sakhi in rural areas

DIMAPUR — Nagaland State Rural Livelihoods Mission (NSRLM) and Industrial Development Finance Company (IDFC) First Bank inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in Kohima on May 5 for deployment of business correspondent (BC Sakhi)-an alternate channel in providing financial services in rural locations.

Speaking on the occasion, Imtimenla, NSRLM mission director, stated that with the dream of fulfilling Mission One Gram Panchayat One Business Correspondent (MOGPOBC) in the country, Nagaland has a plan to deploy 500 certified women BC Sakhi in the gram panchayats by 2025. The target for 2023-24 is 300 SHG members, an update from NSRLM stated.

The mission director disclosed that 141 trained and certified SHG members have been deployed as BC-Digipay Sakhi in Dimapur (16), Kiphire (9), Kohima (10), Longleng (11), Mokokchung (18), Mon (16), Peren , Phek (16), Tuensang (11), Wokha (17), and Zunheboto (9).

Sharing on the status of SRLM Nagaland since its launch, she stated that 150 women SHG members have been trained from RSETI in Jalukie and are IIBF certified. She added that the mission would cover all the 1268 villages, 1142 VLO, 63 CLF, 13,935 SHG, and 1,19,439 households.

Soumen Bag, regional sales head of IDFC First Bank Limited, informed that the bank came into being under the banking companies (Acquisition and Transfer of Undertaking) Act, 1970. Its core purpose, according to him, was for deployment of SHG women as business correspondent (BC Sakhi). Soumen said the objectives of IDFC First Bank were to improve the quality and effectiveness of the financial services, empower SHG members by functioning as BC and CSP (customer service provider) respectively.

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He underlined that the role of NSRLM should be to refer the qualified leads for on boarding them at IDFC First Bank, help IDFC and relationship manager/ coordinator in creating awareness/ sensitisation on the partnership with all the VO level.

It mentioned that as part of the undergoing national campaign on promoting digital transactions at 50000 gram panchayat under Azadi Ki Amrit Mahotsav from February 1 to August 15, the State Mission and IDFC First Bank would initially deploy 14 members as leads in Dimapur to see progress through the agreement.

IDFC was represented by Soumen Bag and Aayush Nahar, state manager of BC and alternate channels (SM, BC-AC) from Kolkota, while NSRLM was represented by Imtimenla and Rajuselie Lhousa, state program manager of financial inclusion (SPM-FI).

M Rollan Lotha, chief operating officer (programmes) and TM Chowdhury, branch manager IDFC Branch Dimapur, were also present in the ceremony.