Tribal SHGs seek restoration of cheque power

Tribals from three mandals, who deposited their savings through Girijan Mitra ASSAGE (Adivasi Avivrudhi Samskrutika Sangham Araku Valley) MACS Bank, have sought restoration of cheque power, which has been kept under abeyance for over one and a half years.

They represented to DRDA-Velugu Project Director Satyasai Srinivas here on Thursday following which he promised them to hold a meeting again on July 20 to sort out the issue.

He said as the government decided to bring all the self-help groups under Velugu and deposit their savings in public sector banks, their cheque power was withdrawn. “As a special case and as their area fell in the panchayat adopted by Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, their case will be considered sympathetically in consultation with the district administration and ITDA,” he assured them.

ASSAGE MACS Bank president G. Bhagyalakshmi told

The Hindu that they had a turnover of Rs.1.5 crore. “Under loan waiver, 37 SHGs were sanctioned Rs.91.53 lakh but it is not handed over to the beneficiaries due to withdrawal of cheque power,” Araku Vally former ZPTC Killo Surendra said.

The bank has 6,000 members from Araku, Anantagiri and Dumbriguda mandals. The bank has deposits to the tune of Rs.30 lakh were made in the Grameena Bank.

Describing the withdrawal of cheque power as unilateral, CPI (M) district secretary K. Loknadham and AIDWA State president B. Prabhavati said as 600 SGHs were involved in the ASSAGE MACS Bank, the cheque power should be restored immediately.