SAHAJ Newsletter July-August `15 (English)

July - August 2015
Vol. V
Issue 3
Business
Correspondent
Services:
Financial Inclusion for all
A
Initiative
Vol. V
Issue 3
Editorial
BRINGING GOVERNMENT, BUSINESS & EDUCATION SERVICES TO RURAL INDIA
Under the aegis of the National e-Governance Plan of Govt. of India
Editor :
Bhavna Chatterjee
Art Editor :
Suman Das
Disclaimer :
The views expressed through the articles in
this newsletter may not necessarily be those
of the organization.
Sahaj e-Village Limited is not liable for any
content and design carried in the
advertisements published in this issue.
Published by :
Department of Marketing Communications
Sahaj e-Village Limited
www.sahajcorporate.com
Sahaj is transforming. From being a quintessential contributor of the
Government of India’s NeGP plan (yes, we were the 1st SCA appointed
by the Government for the NeGP and to date we continue to be the
largest of all existing SCAs), we’ve stretched our boundaries, benefiting
citizens and bringing them services beyond just governance. Our
horizon is expanding, reach is widening, and our vision to create an
empowered rural India using world class IT enabled infrastructure, is
visible and attainable.
Our centres across the six states have been the forerunners in bringing
the comfort of instant service availability for the rural citizens. Financial
Inclusion, we realized, is one of the most important services that a
citizen requires today. Also it is one of the most important agendas of
the government today. Towards this mission of bringing maximum
number of people under the ambit of formal banking system, Sahaj has
made a contribution worth writing home about. We’re doing a lot as far
as FI is concerned. The banking services have reached people in the
deepest nooks of the villages, empowering them like never before. You
shall come to know more about our Financial Inclusion service which is
the Cover Story in this edition.
We’ve focussed our Feature Story on the launch of yet another vital and
great project by the PM - the Digital India Program. The program that
has the potential to change the face of the country, and has an aim to
deliver all government services electronically in less than four years.
Sahaj has also contributed to the program by conducting Digital India
Week in Uttar Pradesh. Turn the pages to have a glimpse of the activity.
The Sahajite’s Corner focuses on m-Commerce and how it is geared to
rule the retail industry. Do not miss to read the enlightening story of our
Entrepreneurs. At the end, do check out what the next month brings for
you in the Horoscope section.
Happy Reading!
Follow us on
Table of Content
1
2
3
4
5
• CEO speaks
• Top VLEs
• Other successful VLEs
Latest News
Sahaj Scape
From the Hinterlands
VLE Success Story
6
8
G2C Newsreels
16
Feature Story
Cover Story
Health Beat
Foodies Delight
Digital India Week
12
The Good Life
18
19
14
Sahajites Corner
20
15
Monsoon Photography
21&22
Horoscope
C E O S P E A K S
Dear Friends,
Hope this issue of Sahaj SetuTM finds you in the best of states. For those of you that I am meeting for the first time,
I have very recently taken the charge over from Mr. Sanjay Panigrahi as the CEO of Sahaj, and needless to say, I
am very excited with all that has been done and the prospects of so much more that can be done. I am a strong
protagonist of financial inclusion and hence am delighted that the maiden issue under my leadership speaks on
the subject so close to my heart.
Financial inclusion, as we all know, is extremely critical for the holistic growth of the economy and the
somewhat ignored markets - the rural ones. The BOP must be included for achievement of developmental
goals. Now that the initial momentum has been built by mission mode schemes like the PMJDY and PMJJBY by
creating 17.57 Crore bank accounts till now of which 61% are rural, I feel it is time to start thinking about and
implementing on the next level. This would include making the account holders transact on a regular basis as well as
working towards digital financial inclusion for a cashless society. When it comes to digital finance, India is still to make a
mark.
The 2014 Intermedia Financial Inclusion Insight (FII) Survey of 45,000 Indian adults found that 0.3% of adults use mobile
money, compared to 76% in Kenya, 48% in Tanzania, 43% in Uganda, and 22% in Bangladesh. Some good work is already happening in this
regard, Though we all expect Payment Banks to be a game changer, we must not ignore the fact that some other very conducive regulatory moves
have been brought in like allowing NBFCs to act as Business Correspondents, RBI’s removal of the need to furnish current and permanent
address proofs that especially benefited the migrant laborers, and the fact that RBI has just concluded the pilot to determine if licensed prepaid
issuers (like Airtel Money and Vodafone m-Pesa) can allow their customers cash out. To sum it up, we are in the midst of very exciting times with
regard to Financial Inclusion.
We at Sahaj have been playing our part too. We have already opened nearly 18.50 Lakh accounts through our 3,400+ Bank Business
Correspondent points. This is one area where Sahaj is going to put a lot of impetus and we intent to bring about radical transformation in
people’s saving and spending habits in the rural markets we serve. More banks are coming forward and placing their trust in Sahaj’s network. In
fact, we very recently signed an MoU with Bank of Baroda as their national Business Correspondent agents. We were one of the first players to
introduce technology in rural markets and are still banking on technology to bring in next-gen financial inclusion measures in rural markets.
Signing off, I would like to wish you and your families the very best. The monsoons haven’t retreated completely. Please stay safe at all times. Do
feel free to write in to me with your thoughts, suggestions and queries. I shall try to personally respond to your mails every time.
Santosh Dash
CEO, Sahaj e-Village Limited
TOP
VLEs
in July
Skill up gradation center-Bhuj
One stop solution for
Government Services
• E-District Services • MGNREGA services • PDS Coupon Scanning • Data Entry
• Government Certificate • Chitta Extract • Certified copy of court order • Electoral rolls
• Jamabandi copy • Mutation orders • Public complaints • Electoral card
• Voter IDs • Telephone bills • Electricity bills • Land records
• Employment registration • WBSRDA
^amogm ˜mg h¡, ghO nmg h¡
Other
Successful
VLEs
in July
Assam
Assam
Sourav Saikia
Jiban Mahili
Nazmul Hoque
Bhajan Biswas
Bihar
Bihar
Jitendra Kumar
Damodar Kumar
Mohammad Miraj Khan
Mukesh Prasad Gupta
Odisha
Odisha
Sarita Behera
Sujit Behera
Arun Kr. Baral
Mitalin Swain
Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu
Karthigananthi V
Kavitha Kavitha
Tamil Selvan M
Muniya Chandran Krishnammal
Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh
Jeetendra Kumar Yadav
Anil Kumar Maurya
Meenu Kumari Verma
Arvind Kumar Sonker
West Bengal
West Bengal
Ashim Chatterjee
Joy Mahato
Krishan Sarkar
Bachchu Rahaman
Latest
News
O
n 21st June ‘15, Sahaj Uttar Pradesh Skill
Development Mission Team celebrated
International Yoga Day at 31 training centers
across 15 districts. The event had a mass appeal
resuilting in 1383 people participating.
ahaj Entrepreneurs across the states celebrated
the 69th Independence Day. The Sahaj
Entrepreneurs conducted various activities at their
Sahaj Centres. They started with Flag hoisting
ceremony, and executed activities like Free Medical
Camp, Sahaj products and services awareness camps,
etc.
S
O
n 19th June 2015, Sahaj Strategic Business
department organized an e-IA enrollment
Activity at SREI-BNP Paribas office in Sector-V,
Kolkata. Srei-BNP employees participated in the
camp with full spirit. 250 employees enrolled for
the e-Insurance Account.
O
n 21st June 2015, the Central Skill
Development Team along with candidates of
DDU-GKY program celebrate International Yoga
day at Panna Centre, Madhya Pradesh with Dr.
Anand Tripathi, DPM, DPIP. The participants
practisd Yoga and pledged to make this a part of their
daily lives.
O
n the occasion of Raja festival, Team
Odisha organized Raja Mela, a Market
Devlopment Program. 19 MDP activities were
conducted across 13 districts of Odisha to
promote General Insurance business. An "On
Spot" business of approx. ₨75,000 with 82 leads
were collected with Nabrangpur itself contributing
approx ₨32,000.
O
T
eam Odisha organised Rath Yatra Market
Development Program across 14 districts of
the state. The Program intended to celebrate the
auspicious occasion by spreading awareness on the
importance of General Insurance and Mutual Fund.
Sahaj Setu • July’15 - August’15 • Page 2
n the occasion of Independence Day,
Team Sahaj org anized a Market
Development Program named August Kranti. The
program aimed at easy availability of Sahaj
products and services for the rural citizens.
Nominated centres conducted engagement
activities, offered products and services and
captured leads.
SahajSCAPE
Sahaj Teams at Transacting Jan Dhan Yojana held in Kolkata
on 6th August ‘15.
Mr. Santosh Dash, CEO - Sahaj gives award for Highest
contribution in Social Security Scheme.
Mr. Umesh Rao at the Business Standard Smart Business
Panel Discussion held in Kolkata .
Mr. H.K. Mishra, Director - Sahaj, visists a Sahaj CSP in
West Bengal.
Winning Team - Sahaj Diamonds, during
Sahaj Football Derby '15.
Runner-up Team - Sahaj Stars, during
Sahaj Football Derby '15.
Sahaj Independence Day celebration at Kolkata H.O.
Sahaj entrepreneur Mr. Sundaram celebrates Independence
Day at his Sahaj centre in Krishnagiri, TamilNadu.
n anganwadi worker in rural Karnataka can register her
attendance through a service called Mobile One, which a
software professional in Bengaluru can also use to pay electricity
and water bills or book tickets.
This innovation is not by a start-up but by the Karnataka
government’s centre for e-governance, which pitches its mobile
governance offering, available in both Kannada and English, as
anytime, anywhere, anyhow services for anyone.
A
nytime, anywhere access to money, even in the remotest
parts of the country, is critical to take the financial
inclusion drive a step further.
Both the regulator and the Government have been working at
expanding the reach of banking services in rural areas.
More Power (Board) To Rural
Students
IT Sector Rural BPOs Target
Telangana’s Tier II, III Cities
T
he IT sector in Hyderabad, which accounts for 15 per cent
of the total exports from India, began its journey with
BPOs and gradually moved up the value chain. BPOs are set to
repeat this experiment, this time in tier II and III cities of
Telangana. Eight rural BPOs will be set up in Warangal,
Karimnagar and Kamareddy, each with a capacity of 250 seats or
more.
A team comprising IT minister KT Rama Rao and top officials on
a visit to the US recently, met with Telangana entrepreneurs who
have businesses in the US. They have promised to invest in
Telangana.
Source: http://www.mydigitalfc.com/knowledge/
R
ural students beating their urban counterparts in board
exams has become a trend in recent times, making many
wonder what gives them the edge. The mystery has now been
cracked -- Electricity! %Uninterrupted supply of quality power
for almost 24 hours, round the year, has transformed lives and
the most powerful reflection of %this change is the report cards
of students.
N e w S c h e m e To S u p p l y
U n i n t e r r u p t e d P o w e r To
Haryana Rural Areas
T
DBTL Success Prompts BPCL
Focus On Rural Markets
A
fter the initial success of direct benefit transfer scheme
(DBTL), the Bharat Petroleum Corporation (BPCL) has
shifted its focus to rural markets with the appointment of new
distributors at block levels to tap into the growing demand.
KK Gupta, director marketing of BPCL told Financial
Chronicle, “We have identified rural pockets and have started
appointing distributors at block levels to give as many new
connections as possible.”
Sahaj Setu • July’15 - August’15 • Page 4
Source: http://www.mydigitalfc.com/news/
he Haryana Government on Saturday said it will launch
“Mhara Gaon-Jagmag Gaon” scheme, aimed at supplying
uninterrupted power to rural consumers besides strengthening
distribution network and realising outstanding payments.
According to the scheme, to be launched on July 1, out of the 90
constituencies all over the State, 83 with rural domestic supply
(RDS) feeder will be benefited, said an official spokesperson.
Source: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/
A
Policy Tweaks Can Help White
Label ATMs Expand Rural
Reach
Source: http://www.bangaloremirror.com/
Mobile One: Governance At Your
Fingertips
Hinterlands
Source:http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/
rime Minister Narendra Modi, while sharing the
roadmap for Digital India, will unveil various egovernance schemes such as Digital Locker, e-education and ehealth at the Digital India Week, beginning on July 1.
The big-ticket launch of the Rs 1.13 lakh crore Digital India
project will witness participation from over 10,000 guests. Tata
Group Chairman Cyrus Mistry, RIL Chairman and MD
Mukesh Ambani, and Airbus India CEO Peter Gutsmiedl are
among the corporate heads expected at the event.
Source: http://www.thehindu.com/news/
P
From the
Source: http://www.livemint.com/Politics/
PM To Launch e-Governance
Schemes
VLE Success Story
Mohammad Shahzad:
one of Uttar Pradesh’s Top Sahaj Entrepreneurs
M
ohammad Shahzad is one of the top Sahaj entrepreneurs of Uttar Pradesh. He hails from
Gazipur district. Shahzad opened his Sahaj Centre in 2012 in Gaurakhas village. When
Shahzad opened his Sahaj centre, not many people in his village knew about Sahaj and its
services. He started offering various utility and government services to the citizens. Gradually people
came to know about Shahzad and his Sahaj Centre. They were assured that he would be the best person
to help them in terms of availability of essential services. In fact, within few months he became so
renowned amongst the villagers, that they started to call him “Sahaj wale Shahzad”. Now Sahahzad
has also started offering Aadhaar related services from his Sahaj centre. Shahzad and his centre became popular especially
after he started offering government services like Income, Caste and Resident Certificates through his Sahaj centre. Today
he does life and general insurance premium collection, e-Learning, etc. from his centre. In Sahaj Times AugustSeptember edition, he has also featured amongst the TOP 10 Sahaj Entrepreneurs in Uttar Pradesh. His revenue has
increased manifold. He earns respect and goodwill from his villagers and spends a life of fulfillment - and for all this he is
extremely grateful to Sahaj.
Sahaj Setu • July’15 - August’15 • Page 5
l
e
e
r
s
New
G2C
Postal Bank On Its Way
P
ost offices are likely to turn into payment banks by late
next month, reaching out to the unbanked section of the
society under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Jan Dhan
programme.
Top officials said they expected the RBI to grant a payment bank
licence to India Post, which has a network of 1.54 lakh post
offices.
Two years back, the finance ministry had stalled the move to
convert post offices into retail banks in spite of the RBI's
backing.
Source: http://www.telegraphindia.com/1150608/jsp/
DDC Adopts Ghordi Village
D
istrict Development Commissioner, Udhampur, Dr
Shahid Iqbal Choudhary has adopted Ghordi Village
for providing universal access to civic amenities, planned
development, sanitation and other services as part of initiative
of district administration for adoption of villages for guided
development and efficient resource utilisation.A group of local
youth associated with Vivekananda Foundation has been
mobilised for community participation.
The DDC informed that every household will be provided
separate toilet facility which is available with only 20%
families at present.
Source : http://www.dailykashmirimages.com/
Karnataka Vikas Grameen Bank Net
Profit Up 10.71 Percent
T
he Dharwad-headquartered Karnataka Vikas Grameen
Bank registered a net profit of Rs. 155 crore during 201415 as against Rs. 140 crore in 2013-14, recording a growth of
10.71 per cent.
This profit was aided by 23.15 per cent increase in income. The
total income increased to ₹1,272 crore in 2014-15 from ₹1,033
crore in 2013-14. The bank’s treasury income increased to ₹416
crore as against ₹272 crore.
The operating profit of the bank touched ₹201 crore (₹190
crore).
Source :http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/
Medical Needs Of Rural India
P
harmaceutical industry and the medical practice are two
key segments of the healthcare sector and on both these
fronts India has made significant progress over the last 25 years.
But the benefits of this advancements largely available to the
population living in cities and other urban centres of the country.
And the access of modern medicine and the services of qualified
medical practitioners are, thus, denied to the majority of the
people living in rural settings.
This is despite the fact that there has been a notable increase in
the income levels of the rural folk over the years. The
fundamental reason for this state of affairs is the reluctance of
medical practitioners to serve in rural areas. If the doctors refuse
to move to rural areas, the medicine shops cannot come up in
these locations.
Source : http://www.pharmabiz.com/
All Panchayats In Odisha To Have
Broadband In 3 Years
Urban Kids Want Tablets, Rural Kids
Prefer Pcs
A
T
ll panchayats in Odisha will have broadband internet
services by 2017-18 while major cities of the state,
including Bhubaneswar, will have Wi-Fi services in the next one
year.
The decision was taken at a review meeting on the yearly
performance of the department of Information Technology
(IT) presided over by chief minister Naveen Patnaik at the State
Secretariat.
Briefing newsmen after the meeting, IT minister Pranab
Prakash Das said the presentation made by the department at
the meeting focused on better management of e-governance.
Source : http://odishasuntimes.com/131169/
Sahaj Setu • July’15 - August’15 • Page 6
he majority of children in Tier 1 and Tier 2 cities in India
want tablets for their personal use, while kids in Tier 3 and
Tier 4 cities aspire for PCs (desktops/laptops), according to a
study conducted by Greyhound Research for Dell India on 6,000
people from 40 cities.
The study also found that students in Tier 3 and Tier 4 cities like
Mysuru, Coimbatore, Kozhikode, Vishakhapatnam and
Madurai are relatively more serious about computing when
compared to those in Tier 1 cities like Delhi, Mumbai and
Bengaluru.
Source : http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/tech/
Punjab Moving Towards Becoming
Open Defecation-free State
Health department employees at Gram Panchayat level will
collate data and on the basis of it, health camps will be conducted,
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Rajendra Rathore told reporters
here.
T
Source : http:////www.business-standard.com/
he Punjab government today said 75 per cent of rural
population has access to public toilets in the state and it is
moving ahead towards acquiring the "first open defecation-free state
status in the country".
"Punjab is fast marching towards acquiring the unique status of the
first open defecation-free state in the country with the 75 per cent of
the rural population having access to public toilets," state Minister for
Water Supply and Sanitation Surjit Singh Rakhra said here.
Source : http://www.niticentral.com/2015/06/08/
Govt’s Focus On Creating Durable
Assets Under MGNREGA: Haq Khan
M
inister for Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Abdul Haq
Khan today inaugurated a Panchayat Ghar at Pernote
Ramban.
The Minister was accompanied by MLA Ramban Neelam Kumar
Langeh, MLC Firdous Tak, DDC Ramban F A Shah Bukhari, Director
Rural Development Jammu, ACD besides Sarpanchs and Panchs of
adjoining areas were present on the occasion.
Source : http://www.dailykashmirimages.com/
NABARD Holds Financial Literacy
Programme At Mandli
N
ational Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development
(NABARD) today organized one day financial literacy
programme to sensitize villagers, panchayat members on
development through banking.
The resource persons briefed the participants about Pradhan Mantri
Jan Dhan Yojana, Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana, Pradhan
Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana, Atal Pension Yojana, Kisan Credit
Cards, Joint Liability Groups, Self Help Groups.
Source : http://www.greaterkashmir.com/
Rajasthan Government To Launch
Campaign To Collect Health Data In
Rural Areas
T
he Rajasthan government today announced to launch 'Aarogya
Rajasthan Abhiyan' campaign to collect and compile health data
of rural population in the state.
E-health cards will be generated for people living in rural areas during
the campaign which will start on August 15 and continue till December
31.
Sahaj Setu • July’15 - August’15 • Page 7
Panchayati Raj Institution In
Arunachal Strengthened: Nabam
Tuki
A
runachal Pradesh Chief Minister Nabam Tuki today said
the three-tier panchayati raj institution in the state has
been strengthened and the elected members have gained good
knowledge.
Tuki said this while responding to a calling attention motion in the
state Assembly by BJP member Tage Taki on status of funds
released to Lower Subansiri district under Rajib Gandhi
Panchayat Sashatikaran Abhiyan (RGPSA) for 2014-15.
Source: http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/
₨8.18-crore Sanitation Project For
Sangrur And Barnala Villages
U
nder the World Bank project, 100 villages in Sangrur and
50 in Barnala district are supposed to be made 'open
defecation-free' by October 2 and provided with clean drinking
water. The project plan outlay for these villages is estimated at Rs
8.18 crore for installation of 1,137 house hold toilets in Sangrur
villages and 4,318 in Barnala villages.
On the successful completion of the first phase of the rural water
supply and sanitation project, the World Bank had recently
sanctioned the second project worth ₨2,200 crore for the state.
The project is being executed by the Punjab water supply and
sanitation department.
Source : http://www.hindustantimes.com/
379 Villages In Odisha Declared
Open Defecation Free
O
peration and maintenance of the Pipe Water Supply
(PWS) project to be done by the respective community to
which that particular project serves. No new PWS will be taken up
in the area where community is not ready to take up the operation
and maintenance. This has been decided in the Governing Body
Meeting of State Water & Sanitation Mission held under
Chairmanship of Chief Secretary Sri Gokul Chandra Pati in
secretariat conference hall on Tuesday wherein Principal
Secretary Rural Development Sri P.K. Mohapatra presented the
updates and outlined the issues for discussion. the peasantry from
the vagaries of the weather, he said.
Source : http://www.odishanewsinsight.com/odisha/
Business
Correspondent
Services:
Financial Inclusion for all
Cover Story
B
ank nationalization in India marked a paradigm shift
in the focus of banking as it was intended to shift the
focus from class banking to mass banking. The banking
industry has shown tremendous growth in volume and
complexity during the last few decades. Despite making
significant improvements in all the areas relating to financial
viability, profitability and competitiveness, there are
concerns that banks have not been able to include vast
segment of the population, especially the underprivileged
sections of the society, into the fold of basic banking
services. Banking services in India, still largely remain
available only to a few customer segments and geographies
in urban areas. Unless these people are hooked to the formal
sector of lending, they will never be in a position to have a
sustainable lively hood. Our aim is to not only ensure
account opening for all these people but also that they
should be in a position to avail the entire gamut of financial
inclusion programs viz. Banking, insurance and pensions.
Financial inclusion, as we all know, is extremely critical for
the holistic growth of the economy. The contribution of
recent mission mode schemes like the PMJDY and PMJJBY
is especially commendable given the fact that 17.57 Crore
bank accounts have been created till now of which 61% are
rural.
Traditional and conventional banking solutions may not be
the answer to address this problem. We, therefore, need to
innovate and think ‘out-of-the-box’ for solutions to
overcome the problem of financial exclusion in India. The
need is to go that extra mile, deploy new technologies and
create financially viable models to take forward the process
of financial inclusion in an effective manner. The problem
of financial exclusion needs to be tackled with urgency if we
want our country to grow in an equitable and sustainable
manner.
Today a number of public sector banks are participating in
various Projects undertaken by Govt. Departments/
Agencies towards disbursement of Govt. Scheme funds
(NREGS, SSP Scheme, etc.) to the identified Beneficiaries
under IT Enabled Financial Inclusion Model. This model
also encourages savings through Bank Accounts by a large
hitherto unbanked chunk of the population.
The Business Correspondent Model or the BC Model, as it
is popularly known, has shown a lot of potential, inspite of
some serious challenges. Myriad entities including Telecom
Companies, Corporates, Technology firms, NGOs and
MFIs, have shown interest in the BC model since its
introduction in the year year 2006.
Considering our large and widespread network in rural India,
Central Bank of India, Bank of Baroda, Bank of India,
Purvanchal Grameen Bank a RRB sponsored by SBI, have
appointed us as Business Correspondent (BC) to extend
Banking Services and other financial products in order to
improve access to finance for the rural poor.
Sahaj Rural Development Foundation (SRDF) is a not-forprofit initiative of Sahaj e-Village limited (Sahaj), which is a
venture enterprise of SREI Infrastructure Finance Limited
(SIFL). SIFL created Sahaj to engage in the projects and
businesses in Rural India in self sustainable mode under PPP
mode. SRDF aims at creating social impact through various
key Rural centric initiatives. Sahaj and SRDF have been
involved in implementation of National eGovernance Plan
(NeGP) of Govt. of India in PPP mode.
SRDF carries out various social sector initiatives and
implementing Financial literacy (Banking Correspondent) ,
education (Digital literacy). It has access to 28000+ digitally
enabled centres of Sahaj e-Village Ltd. SEVL and SRDF are
authorized to undertake beneficiary enrollment, Smart Card
issuance and distribution, account operations, appointing
Customer Ser vice Points (CSPs), Cash
Management/Logistics and Disbursement of Cash to
Beneficiaries, and Transaction Data Maintenance.
Digital Entrepreneurs (DEs) have been created in each of the
Gram Panchayats (GPs) in the districts with the presence of
SRDF. These DEs have been established in a ‘Brick and
Click’ model and is represented by a local educated youth,
trained by SRDF to engage with rural people to understand
their concerns and limitations. Thus, the DE, the SRDF field
force and technology form the base of SRDF’s pitch for
holistic, transparent and efficient CSR efforts.
Profile of Sahaj Digital Entrepreneur:
50%
40%
44%
29%
30%
20%
11%
10%
Graduate/
Post Graduate:
General
SSC/HSC
Same College
(incl a Diploma)
but not Graduate.
8%
Graduate/
Post Graduate:
Professional
6%
1%
School 5 to 9 years
Literate but no
formal schooling/
School-up to
Cover Story
• Cash Management with transit insurance & fidelity
insurance and Logistics
• Customer Transactions through CSPs
• CSP Operations/ Services
• Beneficiary Card Management
The other Banks with whom Sahaj has partnered to take the
financial inclusion model to the other parts of the country
include: The Central Bank of India, Indian Bank, Indian
Overseas Bank, Oriental Bank of Commerce, Punjab
National Bank, State Bank of India among others.
SRDF’s effort to connect to and positively impact Rural has gone
way beyond NeGP mandates. SRDF has been working on a
massive mandate of financial inclusion-both formal banking and
access to risk products including micro Insurance,
Life/General/Agri Insurance. It has been implementing projects
in livelihood segment with special focus on women and marginal
farmers. SRDF rural DEs have been promoting solar energy
while creating right awareness among rural people.
The model enables prompt payments along with reliable
identification of Beneficiaries through fingerprint validation at
the front-end. Apart
from cash withdrawals,
the Beneficiaries can
also deposit cash in
their Accounts with
the Bank, transfer
funds and conduct
other regular Savings
Bank transactions
through the BC point
after biometric
authentication.
SRDF acts as a
B u s i n e s s
Correspondent (BC)
for rendering banking
services on behalf of
Central Bank of India
and providing end-toend solution for
implementation of the
various Projects
undertaken by the
banks under the IT
Enabled Financial Inclusion Model, pertaining to the following
main areas:
• Enrollment of Beneficiaries, Smart Card Issuance and
Technology
• CSP Network Set-up
Sahaj Setu • July’15 - August’15 • Page 10
Benefits to Rural Citizens:
Sahaj’s objective is to provide access to mainstream banking
to the rural population through Sahaj Centres in an easy and
convenient manner. Banking Correspondent services via
Sahaj Centres is the Rural citizen’s entry to the banking system
– a system where they are able to access basic financial services
without any hassles. Sahaj has taken this initiative to reach to
the last mile and bring affordable and customized banking and
financial services to the doorstep of rural population.
Technology is a very valuable tool in providing access to
banking products in remote areas. We work hand in hand with
the banks to extend financial services in the mode of IT
enabled rural outlets of Corporate Entities as a Business
Correspondent (BC) to the un-banked and under banked rural
population across the six states. Our CSCs are providing the
network through which all these banking services are
delivered to the door step of the rural populace.
Huge benefits have been derived after implementation of the
project. For the thousands of rural households in India, who
didn’t have access to a formal banking, Banking
Correspondent services via Sahaj Centres is their entry to the
banking system – a system where they are able to access basic
financial services without any hassles. The situation has
definitely changed for better with Sahaj aggressively opening
the ‘No-frills account’ for rural citizens.
The DE is always available in the locality to address post
service customer complaints like accounts not opened,
money not credited, money credited but not showing in the
account, cards not received etc. Because of the service quality
offered by Sahaj, the DEs now enjoy the trust of customers.
After the introduction of Business Correspondent service by
Sahaj, villagers now have a reliable platform for depositing
money, remittances, insurance, etc. The villagers breathe a
sigh of relief knowing that their hard earned money is in safe
hands. Thus it gives safety and security assurance to
customers.
The villagers are now confident to transact with Smart Card
just like their urban counter parts. The project has also
resulted in reduction of time taken for transactions, need to
travel to the branch, etc. Through Business Correspondents,
Sahaj is helping reach the unbanked and covering them by
acting like banks for people in remote areas.
Services like Savings Bank Account opening, Loans for agri
and allied activities, money transfer from earning members of
the family who resides outside to their homes, have been made
available.
Sahaj’s USP for Banking Services under BC model:
• Door step service to rural people
• BC of all major banks
• State of art technology in remote location
• Partner with local entrepreneur
• Professional management & staff
• Prestigious corporate backing
Sahaj Setu • July’15 - August’15 • Page 11
• Wide concentrated network & can do carpet bombing in a
geo with utmost concentration.
• Present in the poorest parts of the country
We understand that one of the important components of
Financial Inclusion is financial literacy or awareness of the
customer in the vernacular language/s. Realizing the need to
educating the rural clientele regarding the benefits of banking
culture, Sahaj has taken initiatives to organize camps and
activities that focus on the importance of banking.
Success Factors
The model ensures low transaction cost
through handheld device/kiosk banking
solution, leveraging the ICT (Information
& Communication Technology) solution
perfectly to ensure last mile connectivity by
covering all the four pillars of Financial
Inclusion : Savings, Credit, Remittance and
Micro Insurance, Micro SIP and Micro
Pensions.
If given the right focus, the BC model can
enhance the progress of financial inclusion
in the country and enusre vast majority of
population avails the benefits of banking.
The progress of financial inclusion involves
the three major aspects: access to banking
markets, access to credit markets and
financial literacy/awareness. Therefore it is
important that the BC model amalgamates
each of these aspects successfully in order
to bring maximum number of the excluded
citizens into the fold of banking.
“
We, at Sahaj feel proud to bring a
service as important as Financial
Inclsuion for the rural citizens. The
ratio of unbanked citizens in our
country is alarming and the fact that
rural Indians constitute a major
portion of this ratio makes us think
twice about the vulnerability of the
situation. Sahaj’s Financial Inclusion
services comes as a ray of hope for
the rural Indians. With over 7 lakh accounts opened, I am
proud to say that we have done a great job in reaching the last
mile and bringing affordable and customized banking and
financial services to the doorstep of rural population. And this
is not all. We intend to do more, go a long way and bring smiles
of convenience across the face of rural Indians.
Mr. LVLN Murty, National HeadFinancial Inclusion & Operations
“
The Good Life
Superfoods
f or a
healthy and longer life
T
here are some things in life that are not in our control. Like
we cannot decide how long we would live. However we can
definitely work out on our fooding habits to boost our
health and hence live long and healthy. So while there are lifestyle
chnages that boosts health, there are healthy foods that aids
healthy and longer living. Here we present a list of superfoods that
has a profound influence in how long we live.
• Broccoli, grapes, and salad
Science states that a diet rich in fruits
and vegetables, high in nutrients
and low in calories, is the best
diet for a long life. To be specific,
one should eat more broccoli,
grapes, and salad. Research has
proved that compounds in these
three foods contain extra lifeextending benefits.
Sahaj Setu • July’15 - August’15 • Page 12
• Berries
Berries are full of
antioxidants. Antioxidants
boost immunity and keeps
life-threatening diseases at
bay. And they helps one age
gracefully as well. A 2012 study from Harvard University
found that at least one serving of blueberries or two servings
of strawberries each week may reduce the risk of cognitive
decline in older adults.
• Garlic
Studies have found that phytochemicals
present in garlic helps in putting the
formation of carcinogenic chemicals
in the body to a pause. Hence those
who eat more garlic have lower risk of
certain colon cancers.
• Grains and seeds
• Olive oil
Olive oil contains the
monounsaturated “good fat” and
is well known for its heart-health
and longevity benefits. Reserach
also shows olive oil boosts brain
health and prevents cancer. Aim for two tablespoons a day will
work wonders.
• Avocado
Avocado and others mentioned
above, help keep heart healthy
and improve the chances of a
long life. Avocados lowers
LDL “bad” cholesterol
while raising HDL “good”
levels, and they help body
absorb heart-healthy vitamins
like beta-carotene and lycopene.
A s
per a 2011 study published in the Archives of Internal
Medicine Whole grains are a rich source of fiber that reduces
the risk of death from any cause by 22%. Fiber can protect
against diabetes, heart disease, certain types of cancers,
obesity, etc. and can reduce cholesterol, blood sugar, and
blood pressure.
• Tomatoes
Fish
Tomatoes are a rich source of
lycopene which also is an
important nutrient to fight
cancer. Eating them cooked
increases the amount of
carcinogen.
• Beans
According to a study from Michigan State University beans and
legumes increases levels of the fatty acid butyrate, which prevents
cancer growth.
Salmon, tuna, and other oily fish boosts heart health Omega3 fatty acids present
in these types of
fishes help fight
d a n g e r o u s
inflammation that
can damag e our
DNA.
Crossword
Quick
1
2
6
7
3
8
4
9
5
10
11
12
13
14
15
20
16
17
18
21
Sahaj Setu • July’15 - August’15 • Page 13
19
Across
1. Stare stupidly
3. Wrangle
6. Mark from a cut
9. In addition to
11. Finish
12. Level
13. Not shut
14. Roofing material
15. Bikini parts
17. Messes up
20. Dandelion, e.g.
21. Don't go
Down
1. Helium or neon
2. Small round veggie
4. Chum
5. Carnival city
7. Lid
8. Leases
9. Idolize
10. Take the wheel
15. Curve
16. 'A' on cards
18. Spoil
19. Drink daintily
Solutions on page 22
Sahajites’ Corner
m-Commerce:
The New Mantra for Retail?
yntra having moved to an app-only platform from 01st May,
2015 is often considered a watershed moment for mCommerce. Flipkart is known to be moving towards an app-only
environment too. All this is pertinent because they are the largest
Indian e-Com players at the moment. For the sake of imagination,
consider Jeff Bezos doing the same with Amazon or Jack Ma moving
Alibaba to a mobile only platform. It would be revolutionary.
It becomes all the more important since it would bring a whole lot of
new consumers into the fold of online retail. India will have 236 Mn.
Mobile internet users by 2016. As of June 2015, more than 50% of
Rural internet consumers access internet over mobile phones. It is
easier to get them used to m-Commerce than desktop based eCommerce. The writing on the wall just got bigger with Japanese
consumer goods manufacturer Sansui deciding to sell
their air-conditioners, certain models of televisions
and refrigerators exclusively online through
Flipkart. As per Sansui, they have seen a 25%
decline in sales through traditional channels
(offline stores) while in the same period they
saw a 3 digit increase in online sales through
Flipkart. While there always is a lot of skepticism
shrouding movement to a mobile-only environment, one
must not forget that there are a whole lot of consumers are
getting their first experience of e-Commerce over their mobile
handsets every day.
Like I mentioned earlier in this article, a report by IAMAI and KPMG
projected that India will reach 236 million mobile internet users by
2016, and 314 million by 2017. To add to this, the 3G user base in India
is rapidly gaining market and is projected to grow at a CAGR of 61.3%
from 2013-17. There were approximately 82 million 3G subscribers in
India by the end of 2014 and the number is projected to reach 284
million by end of year 2017. Increased internet enabled device
penetration, decreasing handset prices and data plans tariffs are helping
create a suitable environment for a rapid growth of mobile internet in
India, with rural India set to take the lead. As of June 2015, nearly 50%
of the Active Internet Users(AIU) in rural areas accessed internet using
mobile phones, community service centers (CSC) and cyber cafes. 38%
of the AIU use mobile phone as the main access point. Plus the
acceptance in rural markets has been increasing exponentially too. As
of 2014, the Active Internet User (AIU) base in rural India was 6.7% of
the overall rural population of 905 million and accounted for 61
million users. 4.4% of the total rural population used a mobile device to
access the Internet compared to 0.4% in the year 2012. Many handset
manufacturers are making their contribution towards mobile internet
growth by manufacturing affordable handsets supporting vernacular
content. The median price of handsets has dropped significantly
M
Sahaj Setu • July’15 - August’15 • Page 14
making internet enabled devices affordable for the masses. Several
domestic handset manufacturers are contributing to the increasing trend
of smart phone usage by selling high end phones at lower price points.
Innovations like the Amaxon Register, a plug and play device (secure
card reader) that allows debit/credit cards to be swiped through the
mobile, can be game changers too. Though a lot more end user friendly
regulatory policies are needed to deliver the desired user experience at
the last mile, one must admit that the basic infrastructure and
environment is conducive for m-Commerce and only getting better with
each passing day.
Now let’s look at the user demographics. As per an economic survey, in
five years from now, in 2020, the average age of India’s population would
be around 29 years, perhaps among the lowest in the world. While global
economy is expected to witness a shortage of young population
of around 56 million by 2020, India will be the only country with
a youth surplus of 47 million. This means that the
consumer base shall largely be that of young aspiring
individuals who have access to information and
facilities and who do not shy away from
experimenting. My personal experience has brought
me across the side of rural India that feeds on data
off their smart phones. This young and informed side
of Bharat even maintains separate connections for voice
and data purposes. Add to this projects like Jan Dhan and
you give a vast majority of these mobile internet users the
power to buy online through their RuPay cards. All this and more
indicate the propensity of the market towards m-Commerce.
But will an app-only approach be sustainable in the long run?
CrossPlatform, cross-device and cross-region compatible technology
platforms could help in inter-operability between different systems and
services possibly leading to delivery efficiency. The average Indian
consumer still yearns for the touch and feel of a product before he/she
decides to buy it. Innovations are being introduced every now and then.
IBM recently created a virtual shopping assistant for e-commerce firms.
Unlike the present breed of recommendations, based on browsing or
shopping history, this virtual assistant will understand user needs and
provide advice, much like an expert salesperson would. However, what's
more interesting is an IBM research prediction that in five years, local
stores will beat online by offering an immersive, mixed real and virtual
experience that's far superior to buying online. We are all slowly getting
used to the clean browsing and shopping experience that mobile apps are
providing today, but whether this wave is here to stay is something only
time will tell.
Contributed by:
Tamal Chatterjee
AVP, Marketing
Monsoon Magic
Photography
t
s
e
t
n
o
C
Winner Mr. Soumyabrata Chatterjee
Runner up Mr. Kishore Majhi
Sahaj Setu • July’15 - August’15 • Page 15
Feature
Story
Digital
India
Programme:
Transforming India into digital empowered society
and knowledge economy
Vision Areas of Digital India
The Digital India programme is centred on three key vision areas:
Digital
Infrastructure
as a Core
Utility to
Every Citizen
T
Governance
and Services
on Demand
he importance of deploying technology in
Government departments increased with the
development of the Web. The Government realized that
technology had the power to develop the nation and mak the
Sahaj Setu • July’15 - August’15 • Page 16
Digital
Empowerment
of Citizens
citizens empowered. Since then a number of eGovernance initiatives focusing on citizen-centric
services have been undertaken, including the National
e-Governance Plan (NeGP) that involved 31 Mission
Mode Projects (MMPs) covering various domains.
Today the country needs more. To promote inclusive
growth that covers electronic services, products, devices
and job opportunities and to give a thrust to the already
existing e-Governance initiatives the government has
launched the Digital India Program.
Digital India is a Programme to prepare India for a
knowledge future. The vision of Digital India is to
transform the country into a digitally empowered society
and knowledge economy. Hon'ble Shri Narender Modi,
Prime Minsiter of India has laid emphasis on National egovernance plan and has gave it’s approval for Digital India
– a programme to transform India into digital empowered
society and knowledge economy.
This programme has been envisaged by Department of
Electronics and Information Technology (DeitY). The
programme also benefits the States and Union Territories.
The existing/ ongoing e-Governance initiatives would be
revamped to align them with the principles of Digital India.
Digital India is an ambitious programme of the
Government of India and is projected at Rs. 1,13,000
crores. The program aims at preparing the country for
knowledge based transformation and delivering good
governance to citizens by synchronized and co-ordinated
engagement with both Central Government and State
Government.
The Vision of Digital India programme is centered on
3 key areas:
1. Digital Infrastructure as a Utility to Every Citizen
Key components under this vision are: High speed internet
as a core utility, Cradle-to-grave digital identity, Participation
in digital & financial space through mobiles & banking, Easy
access to a Common Service Centre (CSC), Shareable
private space on a public cloud and Safe and secure cyberspace.
2. Governance & Services on Demand
Key components under this vision are: Seamlessly
integrated services across departments or jurisdictions,
Services available in real time from online & mobile
platforms, All citizen entitlements to be portable and
available on the cloud, All citizen entitlements to be portable
Sahaj Setu • July’15 - August’15 • Page 17
and available on the cloud, Making financial transactions
electronic & cashless and Leveraging Geospatial
Information System (GIS) for decision support systems &
development.
3. Digital Empowerment of Citizens
Key components under this vision are: Universal Digital
Literacy, Universally accessible digital resources, All
documents/certificates to be available on cloud,
Availability of digital resources/ services in Indian
languages and collaborative digital platforms for
participative governance
Through this vision of digitising India, infrastructure will
be offered as a utility to every citizen, governance and
services will be on demand and citizens will be digitally
empowered.
The Digital India Program has the potential to bring about
one of the most fast paced developments the country has
seen ever. Technology has become an essential part of our
lives. The time to live, work, grow and learn in a Digital
India has arrived and this can change the face of our
country. Let’s join hands and make this happen together .
How Digital India will be realized: Pillars of Digital
India
Digital India Program aims to provide the much needed
thrust to the nine pillars of growth areas, namely 1.
Broadband Highways, 2. Universal Access to Mobile
Connectivity, 3. Public Internet Access Programme, 4. eGovernance: Refor ming Government through
Technology, 5. e-Kranti - Electronic Delivery of Services,
6. Information for All, 7. Electronics Manufacturing, 8. IT
for Jobs 9. Early Harvest Programmes.
Through this vision of digitising India, infrastructure will
be offered as a utility to every citizen, governance and
services will be on demand and citizens will be digitally
empowered.
The Digital India Program has the potential to bring about
one of the most fast paced developments the country has
seen ever. Technology has become an essential part of our
lives. The time to live, work, grow and learn in a Digital
India has arrived and this can change the face of our
country. Let’s join hands and make this happen together .
Health Beat
Health Benefitsof
he famous mouth and breath freshener, mint is a herb that has long
been enjoyed by people from diverse cultures, such as India, Europe
and Middle-East. For ages mint has served culinary purposes. It is
known for its great aroma and taste. Besides, its aroma and taste, mint has
excellent healing properties. Because of its excellent properties, there are
innumerable products of mint like tooth paste, chewing gums, mouth
fresheners, etc. readily available in the market. The benefits of mint are
many. The main benefits of mint include health benefits and benefits for
skin, etc.
Mint is well known for its ability to promote digestion. It stimulates the
salivary glands and the digestive enzymes. The health benefits of mint can
be used to get relief from stomachaches, resulting from indigestion and
inflammation.
Mint has excellent anti-oxidant properties. Anti-oxidants are helpful to cure
many health and skin diseases.
Regular use of mint can prevent cough and asthma. Respiratory problems
can be taken care of by the excellent properties of mint since mint breaks
down mucus and opens the congestion in the respiratory organs.
You can consume mint for treating headache and nausea also. Mint has
antispasmodic and nervine properties, which relaxes the
nerves and prevents headache. Use mint-based balm
to avoid headache while traveling. The irritating
feeling of nausea can be
T
Sahaj Setu • July’15 - August’15 • Page 18
cured by mint. Eat any mintflavored products. You can
also use crushed mint leaves
or mint oil extract. You will get
relief immediately.
Mint prevents tooth decay by
fighting bacteria, which
induces bad odor in the
mouth. Mint contains tannins,
which fights bacteria. Intake of
mint is useful in the prevention of
cavities. So the next time you are out
for official purpose, friendly visit, or
public gatherings, use a mint product to give a fresh smell to your
mouth.
There are proven benefits of mint tea. Mint tea is known to reduce
irritable bowel syndromes.
Mint heals many skin problems. Mint it is used for acne cure,
blackheads cure, and pimples cure. Mint based face wash relaxes the
skin and provides a glow to the skin. Mint juice is an excellent
skin cleanser. Mint has antipruritic properties. You can treat
insect bites with the use of mint and camphor added to it.
Hence mint fosters good skin health.
Mint cures cancer as well. Recent studies and research shows that
mint contains Perillyl alcohol, which is helpful in the prevention of
skin and lung cancer.
The well-documented antispasmodic properties of mint help
provide relaxation to the smooth muscles of the body, especially
the stomach. This is immensely helpful for getting relief
from the discomfort caused due to painful cramps
during periods.
Menthol content in mint can be used to
cure sore throat and cold.
Mint has an excellent amount of
mineral content. Mint contains
minerals like zinc, copper, calcium,
p h o s p h o r o u s, m a g n e s i u m ,
manganese, fluoride, and selenium.
The minerals work towards the proper
functioning of the body.
Foodies
Delight
Sujay Bag, HR Dept.
Chicken in Peanut Butter Sauce
Ingredients:
· Chicken Chunks – 4 pcs
· Chopped Ginger - 2 teaspoon
· Chopped Garlic – 2 teaspoon
· Chopped Green Chilly – 2 teaspoon
· Black Pepper powder – ½ teaspoon
· Diced Onion - 1 cup
· Diced Capsicum / Colored Bell pepper – 1 cup
· Any Dried Herb (Dill/Rosemary/Oregano) –
½ teaspoon
· Butter – 1 spoon
· Peanut Butter – 2 spoons
· Honey – 1 table spoons
· Salt to taste
How to make:
Boil the chicken chunks with 1 spoon chopped ginger, 1 spoon chopped garlic, 1 tablespoon diced onion, 1 spoon green chili and
pinch of pepper powder.
Stain the water and separate the chicken pieces. Keep aside the chicken stock.
Saute the diced Capsicum and diced onion separately for 1 min and keep aside.
Place a frying pan on oven. Heat 1 spoon butter and add rest of the ginger, garlic and green chili, fry for 1 min. Now add the
peanut butter and sauté for 2 minutes. Add ½ cup chicken stock, a pinch of pepper powder and make a thick sauce. Now add the
boiled chicken and half fried capsicum and onion and mix well and make a semi dry preparation.
Place the cooked chicken, onion and capsicum pieces on the service bowl. Now spread the honey from the top and sprinkle the
herb. Serve hot as a starter
Sahaj Setu • July’15 - August’15 • Page 19
Glimpses of Digital India week
held in Uttar Pradesh
Sahaj Setu • July’15 - August’15 • Page 20
September Horoscope
Aries (March 21-April 20):
You'll be working hard and playing hard,
determined to see real results for your efforts and
be centre spotlight at the same time. Staying fit
will clearly be a priority if you're going to burn
the candle at both ends.Luckily by the 5th you'll
have a firm grip on practicalities and be driving
ahead with vigour. You will demand your own way with
loved ones and be throwing yourself with great glee into enjoying
yourself as well.One dream or plan may not turn out quite as you
hoped on the 17th so keep your expectations cautious. In the final
week a Libra Sun and Lunar eclipse will focus you on close
relationships.You won't feel money is as tight as it has been. At
work, you'll be sweeping old self doubts to one side and finding that
those around at work respond positively to your new found
enthusiasm.
Taurus (April 21-May 21):
An earthy Virgo Sun till the 23rd bodes well for
you since it'll bring, fun, entertainment,
romance and invitations galore. Sorting out
long term plans will be a priority. A growing
sense of inner contentment will go hand in
hand with a feeling that you are having to stand
on your own two feet for a while. You'll be searching
for a new sense of values, emotional and financial.
Saturn in Sagittarius will bring a few lessons about the handling of
joint finances, which means money at home with partners, or at
work, or with credit cards, mortgages etc.
Gemini (May 23-June 20):
Although your everyday schedule will be busy,
varied, at times quite revved up, you really do
need to spend more time at home with the
family. Winding down will help you get recent
events into perspective and chance for heart to
heart chats.By the Solar eclipse on the 13th
you'll be aware of the changes you want to make
in your domestic set-up, whether emotional or
practical.Certain high hopes on that front won't work out as quickly
as you might wish.You'll be aiming high and thinking big. Your
finances will be unpredictable which isn't necessarily a disaster but
larger lump sums will come and go than usual so you'll need to
budget sensibly, saving when you can. You'll feel it's now or never
for success in your career.
Cancer (June 21-July 20):
Rattling round at high speed, talking
constantly, you certainly won't be bored or
boring. Though the Virgo Solar Eclipse
towards mid month does hint that
organising your time more sensibly and
communicating clearly will be important
now and in the months ahead. Mars in Leo
until the 25th will also make kick starting your
finances important. The more effort you put in the higher your
rewards will be. A sudden opportunity on the 8th could be the
breakthrough you have been waiting on. Though don't be too hasty.
Hard work will begin in earnest after the 18th with Saturn moving
into Sagittarius to stay for two years. Just pace yourself and take time
out to spend with loved ones. Finding a better balance between your
head and your heart will be important.
Sahaj Setu • July’15 - August’15 • Page 21
Leo (July 21-Aug. 22):
In a dynamically, go-ahead mood you'll be
stepping out boldly and not allowing anyone
or anything to slow you down. Happily you'll
be charming as well as assertive so you
shouldn't ruffle too many feathers. The Virgo
Sun running into a Solar Eclipse on the 13th
will keep your attention firmly fixed on your
personal finances. At work, the right people will
be impressed by your positive attitude. Your confidence and bright ideas will
bring you praise and recognition. Putting energy into your health will be the
best way to keep ailments at bay. Don't leave any complaints to linger in the
hopes that they'll sort themselves. Be pro-active and you'll be pleased with
the result. You'll find your self confidence soars and you'll be putting a
higher value on yourself so loved ones will follow suit. Your sunny self
confidence will shine out since you'll know that luck is on your side.
Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22):
This is an important month for you with your
birthday Sun in place till the 23rd and a Solar
Eclipse which only rarely falls in your own
sign. You are at a crossroads and need to make
decisions about the time ahead. It's your life
and should be your choices. You won't know
what you want your commitments to be but to
be honest neither will your partner. So just let it
drift for a while. You'll have various plans
bubbling in secret. Don't be impatient about getting
them actioned. In the final ten days you'll be reorganising at home, being
direct and taking steps to improve your finances. With Saturn moving across
the base of your chart this year should see you rising in status and
responsibility, moving more out into the world to achieve.
Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22):
With the Sun in the sign before yours till the
23rd you'll be standing on the sidelines, trying
to take it easy. This is your time of year to
recharge your batteries, plan and prepare for
what starts nearer your birthday. Don't think
of it as wasted. Thinking over recent events
and reflecting on what is really important to
you, means when you do get cracking, you'll
know exactly what you want. Friends will be
energetic, at times too much so. Be determined after
mid month to get your views across clearly. If others don't listen, just be
persistent. Your birthday Sun will bounce you up in the final week.
Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21):
You'll be working extra hard and expect those
around to do the same. Out on social
occasions you'll be putting on a flamboyant
performance and impressing all the right
people. But really you'll be happiest out and
about amongst your circle of friends and
wanting to draw more people towards you.
Sorting out longer term plans means you'll need
advice, so you'll be tossing ideas around and listening
to feedback. Saturn moving into Sagittarius on the 18th
for two years will pull you back to hard practicalities, mainly about getting
your finances knocked into better shape.
Contd...
(Nov. 22-Dec. 20):
Full to the brim of exciting plans, big ideas and
strong opinions you won't be standing still or
staying quiet for a moment. You'll be setting
your sights higher and wanting to broaden
your horizons, in travel if possible. If not
you'll find other ways of injecting adventure
into your life. Though you'll also be pushing
ambitiously ahead since the Virgo Solar Eclipse will
give you added motivation to make your mark and get your talents
recognised. It'll take persistence, effort and courage but if you stamp your
feet hard enough you'll succeed, not just this month but in the time to come.
Capricorn (Dec. 21-Jan. 20):
The Virgo Sun and Solar Eclipse will prompt
you to broaden your horizons once you get
your feet clear. See what you can do to
improve your knowledge, take up new
studies or plan to travel more extensively
in the months ahead. You'll be secretive,
emotionally intense and on the receiving
end of generous presents. You'll be
broadening your horizons, perhaps
travelling more.There are definite signs of
improvement in your financial situation.
Money will come in through partners, or joint
ventures or bonuses, wins, inheritances.
/sahajevillageltd
Close partners will be affectionate but
fired up as well, so you'll need to keep
the peace when they get over wrought.
Your popularity will soar since you'll
have a knack of putting everyone at
ease, socially and at work. For all that
you'll still want and need time in
private to reflect on highly personal
and confidential matters. The Virgo
Solar Eclipse will prompt you to get to
grips with joint finances and your intimate emotional
relationships. Pay attention to detail.
Pisces
(Feb. 18-March 20):
Togetherness will be the key to your
happiness for three weeks and
beyond. Since the Solar Eclipse falls
in your opposite sign it means
taking steps to ensure you have the
best possible agreements with close
partners. At work, you'll find the chores
easier than usual with support around when you
need it most. After the 18th Saturn will move across your
midheaven so you'll be working hard and taking on heavier
responsibilities. A secretive finish to the month will have you
pondering on how to protect your security.
Source: http://www.star4cast.com
Training to placement
for a standard livelihood
Crossword
Solution
1
2
G
A
A
6
3
P
C
A
V
E
E
^amogm ˜mg h¡, ghO nmg h¡
15
B
16
R
A
O
20
W
C
E
E
5
P
A
A
8
O
12
E
4
S
E
7
S
E
9
R
11
E
N
14
T
A
N
D
13
O
L
I
10
S
O
T
P
E
E
S
R
17 18
E
R
D
21
S
A
R
R
O
T
N
19
S
I
O
P
/sahajevillageltd &
Aquarius (Jan. 21-Feb. 18):
Sagittarius
Registered Address: Sahaj e-Village Limited. “Mirania Garden”, Plot No.: 43, 10B/1 Topsia Road (East), Kolkata - 700046 • www.sahajcorporate.com • Follow us on
September Horoscope