SELF HELP GROUP: A PATHWAY TOWARDS CREDIT & ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT OF WOMEN

In the present era SHG has evolved as one of the tool to get credit facilities, savings and economic empowerment and it is also been considered as need - based programme for alleviation of poverty to the so far neglected target groups (women, poor, deprived etc.) The experience across India and other countries has shown a robust potential of Self help groups to integrate with the development issues thereby significantly impacting the lives of poor. This paper focuses to find out the list of beneficiaries who have economically empowered, got access to credit, availed saving facilities after joining Self help groups. Though the literature available is fairly large, the review is limited to the 136 respondents. Studies carried out in Pune , as evident from this paper, indicates that micro finance and Self Help groups, by and large contributed to the development and economic empowerment of core poor women in terms of economic well being, providing credits , increase in savings, alleviating poverty and empowerment leading to overall development of rural poor.