What this scheme offers
Like similar schemes elsewhere in India, WB Nischay channels credit to rural women through Self Help Groups rather than to individuals directly — a group with a genuine track record of regular savings and meetings is a far better credit risk than any one member alone, and banks lend accordingly. Groups can access ₹2 lakh at 7% interest for income-generating activities, and — importantly — this isn't a flat ceiling: well-established, mature SHGs with a strong repayment history can scale up to ₹10 lakh, rewarding exactly the discipline the scheme is designed to encourage.
Who is eligible
- Registered women's Self Help Group (SHG) in West Bengal, meeting the mission's minimum activity/savings history requirement.
- Group bank account with regular transaction history.
- Proposed income-generating activity for the loan (agriculture, dairy, small manufacturing, trading, etc.).
- For the higher ₹10 lakh tier: demonstrated maturity and repayment track record as a group.
Documents required
- SHG registration certificate
- Group bank account statements/passbook
- Meeting minutes and savings record
- Aadhaar cards of group members
- Proposed activity plan
How to apply
- Your SHG must first be registered and have an established savings/meeting history — if not yet formed, contact your Block Development Office or local rural livelihood mission office.
- Once eligible, apply through your BDO or the relevant SHG federation for bank linkage under WB Nischay.
- Submit group bank statements, meeting records, and your income-generating activity plan.
- The bank sanctions and disburses the loan to the SHG's group account, not to individual members.
- Mature groups with a strong track record can apply for the higher ₹10 lakh tier in a subsequent cycle, once the group's credit history supports it.