A unique foodgrain bank staves off hunger

Dalit women in Bihar are fighting poverty and hunger by setting up their own bank. A bank not dealing in money but grains. This all women bank lends grains on interest, and even without interest, to those in need. These women are on a roll, after setting up a bank, probably the only one of its kind.

Their bank doesn't deal in money, but foodgrains. You can open an account with them, you can deposit and withdraw, and even take a loan. The interest is also charged in grains: 250 grams for every kilogram borrowed. The innovative all-women initiative also gives the needy interest-free loans. The bank right now has more than 1,400 quintal of grains in stock, all contributed by families from their savings.

Bank operator, Keshri Devi told CNBC-TV18, “Only if we earn everyday, can we feed our children. Now, this problem has been solved as we can get foodgrains from the bank.”

The bank is a boon to Devyanti Devi and over 400 dalit families living in the suburbs of Patna. Devyanti earns 1 kilo of rice after a day's work. But once the harvest season is over, earnings dry out. That is when the bank comes into the picture.

Beneficiary, Devyanti Devi says, “Earlier, the zamindars didn't give us foodgrains as we are poor. Now, we can get foodgrains from these banks."

This innovative grain bank has come as saviour for the poorest of poors, for whom arranging two meals a day had always been a struggle. Now they know whom to bank upon.

Prabhakar Kumar and Gautam Srinivasan