A Joint Liability Group (JLG) is a concept established in India by the rural development agency, National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD), to provide institutional credit to small farmers. Here are the key features of a JLG:
- Composition: A JLG typically consists of 4 to 10 people from the same village or locality. These individuals share a homogeneous socioeconomic background.
- Purpose: The primary purpose of forming a JLG is to avail loans from a bank without any collateral. Unlike traditional loans that require collateral, JLG members collectively guarantee each other’s repayment.
- Eligibility Criteria:
- Common Activities: Members should engage in common activities.
- No Land Titles Required: Members are not required to have land titles.
- Same Village: All members should belong to the same village.
- One Family Member per JLG: Only one family member can join a JLG.
- No History of Loan Defaults: Members cannot have a history of defaults on bank loans.
- Regular Meetings: JLG members should hold regular meetings.
- Promotion and Formation:
- JLGs can be promoted by various entities, including business facilitators, NGOs, farmers’ clubs, agricultural universities, and more.
- JLGs can be formed by banks directly financing the group or by financing individual members within the group.
- Difference Between SHG and JLG:
- Self-Help Groups (SHGs) are primarily saving-oriented groups, whereas JLGs are credit-oriented groups formed specifically to avail loans from banks or formal credit institutions.
- Models of Financing:
- Banks can finance a JLG either by providing loans directly to the group or to individual members within the JLG. In both cases, all JLG members share the responsibility for repaying the loan.
- Documents Required by Banks:
- JLGs should be first promoted by individuals or institutions (JLG-promoting institutions).
- Banks typically require Know Your Customer (KYC) documents, loan applications, inter-se agreements, and Demand Promissory Notes (DPN) from JLGs.
- NABARD’s Support:
- NABARD supports the formation of JLGs in project mode across India through its offices.
- Success stories of JLGs are available on NABARD’s website.