A Study of Self Help Groups in Empowering the Rural Women

Neelam  Kumari; Joginder Singh  Malik; Dangi Pooja  Arun; M. S.  Nain

doi:10.48165/JES.2020.36105

Authors

Neelam Kumari Research Scholars Department of Extension Education, CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar-125004, Haryana
Joginder Singh Malik Professor, Department of Extension Education, CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar-125004, Haryana
Dangi Pooja Arun Research Scholars Department of Extension Education, CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar-125004, Haryana
M. S. Nain Principal Scientist, Division of Agril. Extension, IARI, New Delhi- 110012

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.48165/JES.2020.36105

Keywords:

Rural women, Self help groups, Income generation, Empowerment, Constraints

Abstract

A Self-Help Group (SHG) is a registered or unregistered group of people having homogenous socio-economic background, voluntarily coming together to save small amounts regularly, mutually agree for the contribution of a common fund and to meet their emergency needs. It aims engaging rural women with new activities to increase their income, development of better networks and linkages and improved the existing conditions of the SHGs members. The study was conducted to analyse the income generating activities being taken up and the level of empowerment of SHG members.. Result pertaining to income generating activities indicated that majority of the respondents were involved with small micro enterprises. The need to develop SHGs and motivate rural women to systematically manage and choose their activities in order to generate income can be advocated. Certain essential activities like choosing the more appropriate activity, market intelligence, establishing marketing linkages etc. are an indication of the capability of the groups as SHGs becoming a tool for social empowerment.