Laya Tandi: Grassroots Woman of the Year

Ms Laya Tandi, is a scheduled caste woman from Village Karmath in remote Kalahandi, Orissa. She has, along with 13 other women, formed a Self Help Group that has solved local problems like electrification, road construction, and proper distribution of mid-day meal for school children. The group is availing loans from State Bank of India, for both farm and non-farm activities. The group has been running a goatery unit for the last three years and has recently set up an onion storage centre. The group has so far, saved 43,000 rupees. Ms Tandi is a member of village education committee, watershed committee and forest protection committee. She has also played a vital role in formation of a federation of 100 SHGs and is its founder president. Skoch Team had in the recent past visited Kalahandi and interacted with her.