The constructive use of Gram Kosh or village fund can bring about vibrancy in the village economy. The Saharia community in Seopur district has disapproved its own saying that it is hard to involve Saharia in work as they run away from work as fast as lion. The Saharias are now scripting a new chapter using the Gram Kosh forcing the government machinery and local level banking institutions to change their ossified perception about them. At the outset of the project, the staff in government machinery and banking institutions clearly opined that recovery of loan given under various development schemes is not easily possible. The Saharias even sell out their sources of livelihoods like livestock, seeds and fertilizers. Savings are wasted alcoholism. The Project interventions are now changing the scenario.

The government officials and representatives of Banks informed that the Saharias have developed an understanding that they should return loans sought under various development schemes. Madho and Seva of Kankra village in Bargawan cluster had doubts whether Gram Sabha could provide money for fertilizers and seeds on time. They had apprehensions that sowing time could pass by in formalities. When Agriculture Department sometimes delays supply of seeds, what Gram Sabha can do without infrastructure support? Can Gram Sabha meet so often on such issues? All their apprehensions withered when Gram Kosh easily sanctioned loan to them. Madho informed that earlier he used to take loans from moneylenders on five to ten percent rate of interest. We had to repay double the loan amount. Now we have to repay Rs. 30 on one thousand and that too after six months. This comes to a negligible amount.

Reacting on getting loan from the Gram Kosh, Dinesh of Maharaja Chatrasal Livelihoods Group of Gothra village said that it was unbelievable for us that we would get loan on the rate of interest of our choice that too so easily. We never knew that we would have freedom to purchase seeds.

Bir Singh of Bamori village had bitter experience of completing formalities for getting loan from Banks. His fear went off when he easily got loan from the Gram Sabha. I have saved my time and money also, he added. Kankari Devi Livelihoods Group and Jai Bajrang Livelihoods Group members Janved and Chronji appreciated the process and described the transparency as its strength. They said that there is no room for any bribery or recommendation. Every dialogue takes place in a transparent manner.

The examples of use of Gram Kosh from Seopur prove that the trust reposed in poor farmers and their enterprise always pays rich dividends. During Kharif season, a discussion was initiated with the community in the Gram Sabha. People from Bamori village sought Rs. One thousand each so that they could make arrangements of sseeds and fertilizers. The formed two gouprs of 40 famileis each and soughts loan of Rs. 80 thousand on 0.5 percent rate of interest per month. Similarly each member of three groups in Gothra sought loan of Rs. Three thousand on 0.5 percent rate of interest. Two families in Sedpur got loan of Rs. 3000. In Pahadi eight families sought Rs. 12000 while in Agra each family got Rs. 1500. Nine families in Kankra got Rs. 9000 at the rate of Rs. 1000 per family. In Karrai, six families got Rs. 12000 at the rate of Rs. 2000 per family while in Chandpur, eight families got loan at the rate of Rs. 800 each family later 700 each family for sowing and purchasing seeds-fertilizers. These families have not only utilized their loan amount fully but also repaid their loans with interest. Thus Gram Kosh has been replenished in a more robust manner and its utility has been known to one and all. People in Dubdi village informed that they would soon pay off loan amount.

Tejaji Livelihoods Group of Bamori and Shiv Livelihoods Group's member Bir Singh, Punia, Manji, Gopal are happy to have the support of the Project during crisis. They say Gram Kosh an institution on which we can trust and could be operated like a small bank.