Over the past four years, 225 women self-help groups (SHGs) across Karamadai, Periyanaickenpalayam, Annur, and Sarkarsamakulam blocks in Coimbatore district have received ₹9.30 crore in loan assistance, including ₹3.07 crore in grants.
According to a release from the district administration, the programme, implemented under the Tamil Nadu State Rural Livelihood Mission, aims to improve the living standards of women from urban poor households by providing skill development training, individual and group loans, bank credit, and employment support.
In Karamadai block’s Nellithurai panchayat, 20 tribal women SHGs have been set up across 16 villages, of which eight groups are newly formed. Each group received support ranging from ₹15,000 to ₹1.20 lakh, with additional community investment funds of ₹50,000 to ₹1.5 lakh provided to expand individual businesses.
The SHGs have also accessed ₹1.14 crore in bank loans from Indian Bank (Dhayanur) and Canara Bank (Mettupalayam), with interest subsidies provided under the mission. Women’s groups in hill areas are processing local forest products into value-added items, supported with machinery loans of ₹10 lakh at 6% interest, along with skill training, the release added.
