Women Empowerment through Self Help Group

In Tamil Nadu Women’s Empowerment Project, an IFAD supported project implemented through the Tamil Nadu Women’s Development Corporation was the first project in the country, around 1990, to incorporate the SHG concept into a State Sponsored Programme. Since then, SHGs have been associated with women.

Why do they need empowerment?

Women have always been given a secondary status-be it at home or in society. Women still remain poorest of the poor and can never break free from this cycle. Above all, a poor woman is vulnerable, insecure and lacks knowledge

Why are women not empowered?

They lack four basic things:

(i) Knowledge

(ii) Finance

(iii) Power

(iv) Opportunity

Role of Self Help Groups in Empowerment of Rural Women

Women in India are victims of a multiple socio-economic and cultural factors. They are an integral part of every economy. All round development and harmonious growth of a nation would be possible only when women are considered as equal partners in progress with men.

Rapid progress in SHG formation has now turned into an empowerment movement among women across the country.

Six ways through which women SHGs empower rural women

☆Make rural women aware of their basic rights

☆Help rural women in getting employment

☆Raise self-confidence and enhance social status

☆Increase community participation of the rural women

☆Spread awareness about start ups-food processing units.

☆Motivate taking up social responsibilities related to women development.

Government Schemes

Monetary funds are one of the foremost requirements for any business setup and operation. Government schemes help the Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) to finance their day-to-day expenses, growth and expansion. All public sector banks work with the government organizations / institutes to provide sponsored loans for small business. They are:

1. The Credit Guarantee Fund Scheme for Micro and Small Enterprises (CGS)

2. Small Industries Development Bank of India Loan for Small Enterprises (SMILE)

3. Credit Link Capital Subsidy Scheme for Technology upgradation

4. National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD)

5. National Small Industries Corporation Limited (NSIC)

6. Mini Tools Rooms and Training Centre Scheme

7. Market Development Assistance Scheme for MSMEs

8. Technology and Quality upgradation support to MSMEs

9. Micro Units Development and Refinance Agency Limited (MUDRA) Loan scheme

10. Stand-up India Scheme