Bhubaneswar: For the first time in Odisha, a state-level workshop for Banks was organised by the State Level Bankers Committee (SLBC) along with Odisha Livelihoods Mission (OLM), UNICEF and Water.org today here.
The workshop was held with an objective to motivate the banks operating in the state to extend small value towards to households not having water and sanitation facilities in their homes. The event also gave details on present status of water and sanitation in Odisha by UNICEF.
Arupananda Jena, General Manager UCO Bank and convenor SLBC welcomed the august gathering of participants representing public sector banks, private sector banks, RRB, SFB, cooperative banks, Lead District Managers and OLM staffs.
Keynote address was delivered by Dr Babita Mahapatra, Additional CEO, Odisha Livelihoods Mission. She highlighted the real collaboration between stakeholders like banks, OLM, UNICEF. The collaboration can spread up and cover households with single pit toilet which help in sustaining the gains made so far under Swachha Bharat Mission (SBM)-1.
Nikolas Osbert, Chief of water and sanitation, UNICEF India highlighted the problems and solutions of WASH at Odisha. Similarly Shipra Saxena, WASH specialist, UNICEF also shared her experience in the Odisha context about Swachhata and WASH.
Commercial and market driven solution is the way for a long-term substance of Water Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) access was stressed upon by Water.org an international NGO working in 11 countries to address the challenge of access to safe water and sanitation. Manoj Gulati, Regional Director, Water. org conveyed the participants. He said Water.org will support banks in training, capacity building so as to equip them to extend loans to SHG leaders for water and sanitation.
Water.org has partnered six financial institutions in Odisha and they have given more than 1.7 lakh WASH loans so far with a disbursement of 205 crore rupees. There is a huge potential for banks to actively participate in providing small loans to the SHG members.
Sudhira Rath of Odisha livelihoods mission mentioned that OLM stives to eradicate poverty through livelihood programs. The dasha sutra principles cover WASH and it has partnered with UNICEF and Water.org to promote alternate financing for access to WASH in 49 blocks of six districts in Odisha. The success will be replicated across all districts in coming years.
As well as government support the banks support for the WASH loan would be a greater role in future to develop a healthy family and healthy society said many dignitaries. Lingaraj Nayak, AGM and in charge of SLBC Odisha urged those banks don’t have WASH loan policy should approach their head office to issue appropriate loan product.
Banks can explore alternate models like using their BC channel, loan to MFIs for further deployment of WASH. There is also a dedicated refinance schemes for WASH to banks, NBFCs from NABARD as stated by C Uday Bhaskar, CGM NABARD.
There are 2932 local branches and 1489 semi urban branches in Odisha so this deep presentation can target the SHGs to provide WASH financing.
Indian Overseas Bank shared their experience and success story of loan disbursal at Koraput. Their branch of Baipariguda along with OLM has financed the SHGs by a loan of 100000 for repairing toilets. The representative of Banks stressed that more awareness needs to be created among the community to have demand for loan of WASH.
SHG members of Nildungri village of Sambalpur shared their experience of positive impact and WASH financing from their CLF for construct of 2nd pit of their toilet. They prepared the toilet with water facility. Now the total villagers used their own toilet.
At last Abhishek Anand, Senior Manager Water.org gave the vote of thanks to all participants.
