Nov. 27: Brimming with confidence, farmers of Kundarbil in Udalguri district along the militant-infested Bhutan border now go to the authorities with their heads held high.

The scene is completely different from what it was even a few years ago because of the exposure they have received with the formation of a farmers’ club in the area.

“I can say with confidence that they have become an agent of change in the area thanks to the farmers club, Kundarbil Krishak Sangha,” said Loken Das, the district development manager of Nabard, Udalguri.

The farmers’ club is an innovative institutional development programme introduced by the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (Nabard) to strengthen the relationship between banks and their rural clients. The club works like a village-level forum that acts as a bridge between bankers and government officials and the villagers.

“The villagers can effectively convey their problems to the government departments through this forum,” Das said. The departments now listen to the members of the farmers’ club whenever they visit them to discuss an issue, he added.

The Kundarbil Krishak Sangha has even won Nabard’s national-level Best Club award for 2007-08 for its achievements.

Kundarbil falls under the Panerihat branch of Bank of India, which is sponsoring the farmers’ club. Das said the formation of the club had improved the relationship of the branch with the borrowers and depositors and, most importantly, a sense of owning the branch had been inculcated among the people.

“The club has helped the branch to identify borrowers, recover loans and mobilise deposits and the poor farmers and self-help groups to get credit from the branch. A beginning has at least been made,” Das said.

The club’s activities have made the residents aware about banking and this has helped youths to take up income-generating activities with bank loans. The bank has given loans under the Prime Minister’s Rozgar Yojana only on endorsement from the club as the members (core committee) take the responsibility of repayment by the borrowers who are identified/endorsed by the club.

The club has also undertaken an initiative to motivate the people of the area to take up collection and marketing of eggs. It has started a local egg collection centre in its office at Motorali Chowk. At present, 40 self-help groups are participating in the scheme.

Das said Rihon Daimari, the local legislator and PHE minister, had supported the initiative by providing 10,000 chicks, of which about 5,000 have been distributed till now.

The club is also implementing a Neem Village project in association with an NGO.

It is also endeavouring to achieve self-sustenance. It collects Rs 8 per month as membership fees. It recently brought 50 plastic chairs, which the members can hire at Rs 1 per chair per day. It is also trying to construct a permanent office.

“The club has facilitated the issuing of 112 Kisan Credit Cards for Rs 8.2 lakh,” Das said.