The role of self-help groups that played an “active role” during the recent assembly elections has come under cloud. Candidates, who were defeated in the poll ring, are now clamouring for either banning these groups or putting stringent restrictions before giving them approval to function. On its part, the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation too has stepped forward to get “public-oriented” plans implemented with the help of these self-help groups while promising to keep a check on their activities.

Two Shiv Sena candidates, who lost by smaller margin, alleged that at the height of campaigning, women members of the self-help groups had met them and openly demanded “financial assistance.” Sulbha Ubale, who was defeated by NCP rebel candidate Vilas Lande, said self-help groups played a major part in ensuring her debacle. “Some self-help groups who claimed that they were powerful ones demanded financial assistance for campaigning and ensuring votes for me. They said if I don’t pay up, they will go to other candidates. This way, they must have gone to all the 16 candidates,” said Ubale. The objective behind setting up of the SHGs was to make women financially independent, but clearly this concept has become a pawn in the hands of cash-rich politicians, Ubale lamented.

Stressing that she would take up this issue in the civic general body meeting, Ubale said there was no reason why PCMC should approve and then extend financial assistance to political bodies masquerading as social organisations. “The PCMC should put its foot down when it comes to giving approval to new SHGs. Not only provisions relating to setting up of SHGs be made stringent, but also create accountability as to what actually the SHGs do through the year. They should be made to submits reports from time to time,” said Ubale who has written a letter to Municipal Commissioner Asheesh Sharma drawing his attention to the “political colour” acquired by self-help groups in town.

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