Punjab Rural Support Programme Sialkot Region

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February 22, 2014
Note for Record
I visited different Field Areas of SMT-2District Sialkot on 19, 20&21 February as per work
Plan. DM Sialkot facilitated the visits along with SMTI. The detail of the visits is as follow

Visit to CO Ujala Chaprar 0n 19 Feburary
I along with SMTI reached the destination at 1015hrs and were welcomed by Members of
the Respective CO. The meeting Started formally with recitation of few verses from Holy
Quran. After recitation the Agenda of the meeting was presented which is as follow
Recovery
Delivery of cheques
Appraisal
Entry of new members in the CO
President of the CO gave an introduction of the respective CO. It is located in village Chprar.
It comprises of 19 members. The total saving of the CO till date is Rs. 41,500/-. Two
members have obtained Loan from saving which is Rs. 37.000/- as per proceeding register
of the CO. The Respective CO is for Agriculture mainly based on provision of Loans. 7 people
from the Respective CO have borrowed Loan for Agriculture Purpose. There are also 6
members who have obtained Loan through installments and have started their own
business. After the introduction an amount of Rs. 12,700/- were recovered from members
of the CO. After recovery 3 members were appraised by SMTI for an amount of Rs. 85.000/-.
They also paid an amount of Rs 300/- for CIB.2 and after appraising 2 new members were
registered in the CO. The members of Respective CO requested PRSP to arrange courses on
beautician. They also desired that different trainings on skills enhancement must be
arranged so that alongwith Credit they can enhance their skills as well. SMTI assured that
she will take up the issue with the RGM and will discuss it with him. The meeting then
ended after a formal vote of thanks by CO President.

Visit to CO Urooj Pindi Panjoran on 20
th
February
I along with DM Sialkot District and SMTI reached the Respective CO at 10:40hrs.
Punjab Rural Support Programme Sialkot Region
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Miss Shakeela CO Manager welcomed us formally and briefed us about the Respective CO.
Pindi Panjoran consist of 250 households among which 200 households are organized.
There are 6 Female and 4 male COs in Pindi Panjora .
CO Pindi Panjoran is Located in village Pindi Panjoran and the Respective UC is Sheni. It
comprises of 25 members. The Co has saved an amount of Rs 98,000/-. CO members have
obtained 8 Loans i.e. an amount of Rs 75,000/- was granted as loan through internal
lending. A CO member Miss Siara bibi obtained 2 loans of Rs 40,000/- and raised her capital
by establishing a business of super store along with her husband. An installment was also
recovered during the meeting which was pending. Miss Shakeela bibi Manager of the CO
said 11 years before her husband was a street hawker and his monthly income was
Rs. 300/- per day and it was difficult for her husband to bear an onerous family through a
scanty income. When she joined the respective CO she applied for a loan and obtained a
Loan of Rs 10,000/- and established a small super store for her husband in the village. Later
on she obtained 4 more loans and raised her capital i.e. established a mega super store. She
said PRSP provided the credit and I enhanced my capital and today I am living a better life.
The meeting ended with thanks from DM Sialkot.

Visit to CO Bismillah Gujral on 21 February
I Visited CO bismillah Gujral and was Facilitated by DM Sialkot along with Mr. Mohsin Ali,
JSO. The Manager Miss Farkhnda Shamsi who is also a retired school teacher briefed us
about the respective CO. The Respective CO is Located in village Gujral is part of Union
Council Sheni. It was founded in 2001. The CO comprises of 19 members. As per discussion
with the Manager the first saving of the CO was 50 to 100 Rs. and till then the members
have regularly obtained Loans from PRSP and have raised their saving. Different members
of the respective CO have established their own businesses after borrowing loan from PRSP.
Some of them have bought their cattles and sheeps and have started selling milk in nearby
villages having generating enough capital for themselves. It is the only CO in Sialkot Region
as per record availing facility of matching funds. CO members demanded for skill
enhancement trainings and also requested for schemes like CPIs (Community Physical
Infrastructure Schemes). The members said only provision of credit is not sufficient but skill
Punjab Rural Support Programme Sialkot Region
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enhancement and provision of social services should also be an Area of focus for PRSP as
previously the same was done by PRSP throughout Punjab. DM Sialkot thanked the
members and assured that he will discuss the issues highlighted with RGM Sialkot.

Conclusion:
PRSP initially focused on people centered approach because social mobilization is based on
the principle i.e. Participation of Local communities in the development process. Grass Root
development enable local people to participate in the decision making process for
development. PRSP enabled Local communities through CO and VO formation by providing
Credit facilities as well as physical facilities to develop their areas as well as enhance their
capital. CPI schemes are examples of successful Projects completed by PRSP. But due to
non-availability of funds PRSP has stopped these schemes and recently its main focus is on
credit disbursement. Credit is important for capital formation but enhancement of skills is
the core principle of social mobilization. It is the need of local communities that PRSP takes
steps for human resource development. There are certain local organizations which have
developed their liaison with PPAF and are not only providing credit but also completing
schemes at local levels such as Kashaf, Baidari and CDC (Community Development Concern).


Umair Ali Shah
Intern