The Hindu Business Line : Dancing to a different beat

Mumbai March 28 Away from the smoky confines of midnight bars, she is no longer a bar dancer but an entrepreneur. "State Bank of India's initiative to create bachat ghat (self-help group) has helped me to set up a tailoring shop. It has really boosted my confidence and now I am out to prove myself," said a confident 35-year-old Rupa (name changed on request), an erstwhile bar dancer.

The Maharashtra Government's ban could have broken bar dancers' confidence but they have a public sector bank supporting them. SBI has encouraged around 700 bar girls and HIV positive women in the age group of 15-35 to form self-help groups. They save a minimum of Rs 100 per head on a monthly basis and SBI has already opened 70 self-help group accounts.

The bar dancers who were deserted and unable to face the world now have an identity — PAN card, savings account with a reputed bank and insurance cover.

Shunned by the State and society for close to two years now, there appears to be some hope for Mumbai bar dancers. Some bar dancers in Malvani, near Malad, a western suburb, have taken to selling garlic and vegetables.

There are more than 3,000 bar dancers in the locality. "The bank plans to bring many more under the project," said a SBI official.

"My bachat ghat members saved Rs 100 per month for six months and raised a sum of Rs 8,000. The bank granted us a loan of Rs 20,000 and we started an individual business," said the leader of a self-help group in Malvani.

"They are selling garlic, vegetables, salt and cutlery. There were problems initially but now things are stabilising and women are earning a reasonably good profit," she added.

SBI is working in the area through an NGO, Sanmitra Trust. Prabha Desai of the NGO said, "These girls are good at retail marketing and sales so they can really capitalise in these areas. Talks are on with Larsen and Toubro and the company has plans to outsource assembling job the girls can do."

"New India Assurance plans to provide insurance cover for these girls. They are extending a micro health insurance cover for Rs 10,000 and an accident cover for Rs 30,000," said Desai.

The high interest rates charged by money lenders discouraged many to take loans. "Till now, we were at the mercy of money lenders; now that we have access to formal credit we feel we can save more money for our future and our children," said another beneficiary.

The SBI official said, "Women are good at repaying and we don't have any instance of bad loans with them. The bank plans to train these girls in choke (used with tubelights) making, cooking and embroidery."