Efficacy of SHG Programme on Living Standards of Rural Poor Women (A Study on Stree Shakti Self Help Groups in Chintamani taluka, Karnataka State)

Abstract

Women constitute one half of the world‟s population and a visible majority of the poor. Programmes aiming to improve the living conditions of the poor cannot, therefore, be effective unless women participate in their formulation and implementation, as contributors as well as beneficiaries. The formation of Self-Help-Groups through aiding micro-credit will enhance their socio- economic position in the society. It is recognized that while the empowerment of schedule castes and tribes women is a process that will not happen routinely, SHGs are suitable means for the empowerment of such women. Hence, to find out whether the impact of Stree Shakti Self Help group (SHGs) programme on poor women towards change in employment, income, savings and investment pattern of selected (SCs, STs & OBCs) beneficiaries, a sample study undertaken in Chintamani taluka, Chikkaballapura district, Karnataka state by using suitable statistical tools and techniques like frequency distribution, cross tabulation, simple linear regression model and linear growth rate (LGR) and in order to know whether the impact of SHGs on employment, income, savings and investment is significant or not paired t-test applied to all the categories studied. It was found that there was increasing trend both in number of groups and number of beneficiaries. But there was no more than 50% of physical and financial achievement of SHG‟s under bank- linkage throughout the study period. Though there were many obstacles Stree Shakti Self Help group (SHGs) programme effected positive significant change on employment, income and savings of sample beneficiaries of Stree Shakti Self Help Groups after joining in the study area.