SELF HELP GROUP : AN EFFECTIVE APPROACH TO WOMEN EMPOWERMENT IN INDIA DR

The concept of Self Help Group has its roots in rural areas and it has been mooted along the rural and semi urban women to improve their living conditions. Though it is applicable to men in our country, but it has been more successful only among women and they can start economic activities through SHG movement. In India, this scheme is implemented with the help of NABARD as a main nodal agency in rural development. It is self employment generation scheme for especially rural women, who don‟t have their own assets. The word 'empowerment' means giving power. According to the International Encyclopedia (1999), power means having the capacity and the means to direct one's life towards desired social, political and economic goals or status. Empowerment provides a greater access to knowledge and resources, more autonomy in decision making, greater ability to plan lives, more control over the circumstances which influence lives, and freedom from customs, beliefs and practices. Thus, empowerment of women not just a goal in itself, but key to all global development goals. Empowerment is an active multidimensional process to enable women to realize their identity and power in all spheres of life. This paper examines the women empowerment through SHGs and also explains the current position of women empowerment in India.