Microfinance through Women Self-Help Groups (SHGs) for Grass-root level Empowerment: An Empirical study of Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India

Tripti Kumari

No 18, ICDD Working Papers from University of Kassel, Fachbereich Gesellschaftswissenschaften (Social Sciences), Internatioanl Center for Development and Decent Work (ICDD)

Abstract: Microfinance, as a concept, involves providing financial services, particularly small credit, fund transfer, and insurance to the unemployed, low-income group, and those who do not have easy access to the banking system. It has emerged as an active agent of financial inclusion, ensuring economic, and social upliftment of the unprivileged. Microfinance is being operated through two channels Self-help Group-Bank Linkage Programme (SBLP) and Micro-finance Institutions (MFIs). The special characteristic of SBLP is its direct connection with the clients at the grass-root level and working towards poverty reduction by providing financial support. The paper is based on a field study on SBLP undertaken for women in the Varanasi District of Uttar Pradesh, India. The increase in women’s participation in economic activities and decision-making reveals that SHGs have made an impact. SHGs have also helped them to create a common platform to participate, discuss, and find a solution of their problems. Women’s income and occupation structure under SHGs have also influenced the standard of living and empowerment level significantly.

Pages: 32
Date: 2017-09
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations:

Published as ICDD Working Paper

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.uni-kassel.de/ub/index.php?id=39129&h=9783737602563 First version, 2017 (application/pdf)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:ajy:icddwp:18

Access Statistics for this paper

More papers in ICDD Working Papers from University of Kassel, Fachbereich Gesellschaftswissenschaften (Social Sciences), Internatioanl Center for Development and Decent Work (ICDD) Contact information at EDIRC.
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Webadmin ( this e-mail address is bad, please contact ).