Koriya first in State to achieve 100% CIF distribution under NRLM

 

 

IN a significant milestone under the National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM), Koriya district of Chhattisgarh has emerged as the first in the state to achieve 100% distribution of the Community Investment Fund (CIF) under the Bihan scheme, well ahead of schedule. As per the official figures, a total of Rs 2.55 crore has been disbursed to 425 self-help groups (SHGs) across the district, benefiting around 2,550 rural women engaged primarily in agriculture and allied activities. Each SHG received Rs 60,000, enabling timely access to critical resources such as seeds, fertilisers and wages during the peak sowing period of June–July. What makes the feat noteworthy is the timeline, the entire allocation was distributed in just two months.

 

With the agricultural season in mind, the Koriya district administration began fund disbursement in May to ensure that the financial support reached women farmers when they needed it most. District Collector Chandan Tripathi attributed the success to ‘the dedicated efforts of the Bihan team’ and added that timely intervention was key to empowering rural women in their livelihood pursuits. Zila Panchayat CEO Dr Ashutosh Chaturvedi also praised the coordinated efforts of the ground teams and acknowledged the Collector’s leadership in the achievement. Notably, Community Investment Fund is a crucial component of the NRLM, aimed at bolstering women-led SHGs with financial resources to undertake income-generating activities, build resilience, and deepen financial inclusion in rural India.