ROLE OF SHGs FINANCIAL EMPOWERMENT OF SCHEDULED CASTE WOMEN – A STUDY OF SCHEDULED CASTE RESERVED & UNRESERVED CONSTITUENCIES OF ERSTWHILE KARIMNAGAR DISTRICT OF TELANGANA

The role of microfinance growing because it addresses the financial needs of the low-income population and it is also regarded by the policy-makers as an important instrument for financial inclusion. Microfinance brings credit, loan, savings and other essential financial services 60-90% of the global population who are too poor to be served by regular banks. The specific objectives of the present study are to examine the patterns of income, expenditure and savings of members before and subsequent to joining of SHGs in select constituencies, to assess the perceptions of the SHG members on women empowerment before and subsequent to joining SHGs in select constituencies and to compare the perceptions of the SHG members on women empowerment of scheduled caste Women in scheduled caste Reserved and Unreserved Constituencies. The primary data was collected by administering a structured questionnaire to the primary members of SHGs sample of 200-member beneficiaries from Manakondur constituency, a reserved constituency for SC and 200 members from Karimnagar constituency an unreserved constituency were selected as respondents for the purpose of this study. The data collected is processed and analyzed by using statistical test i.e., paired t-test was adopted. The mean score of the decision-making regarding income generation sample respondents in Manakondur stood at 3.60 and in Karimnagar stood at 4.19. This shows that the involvement in decision making regarding income generation has been improved more in Karimanagar constituency when compared to Manakondur constituency. The mean score of the repayment of credit by the sample respondents subsequent to joining SHGs in Manakondur stood at 3.46and in Karimnagar stood at 4.03. This shows that the repayment of credit has been improved more in Karimanagar constituency when compared to Manakondur constituency. Few members of a group should not be allowed to monopolize all loans. Large loans for a single borrower should be avoided. SHGs should enable the poor to decide the purpose of credit, size of the loan and repayment schedule based on viability of activity instead of leader's choice. It should also monitor the end use of credit taken by the members.