The Self-Help Group (SHG) Bank Linkage Programme (SBLP), which is India’s own innovation, has proved to be one of the most effective poverty alleviation and women empowerment programmes. Elucidate.

Self help Groups (SHGs) are an informal association of people who come together & pool their resources towards achieving a socio-economic objective.

A report stated that India has over 84 lakh SHGs active as of 2017.

SHGs helping combat feminisation of poverty (1) Empowerment = makes a women an organiser & decision maker. (11) Bringing together women - learning & sharing experiences.

(iii) Access to resources : increased pool of financial & non financial resources. (iv) Better bargain power - Collectively, w.r.t. raising loans or supply contract (v) Empowers political participation = eg in Gram panchayat, Sabha etc.

• Succeses of SHGs :- (i) increased diversification of incomes - away from farm dependent familes! (ii) increase in women led entrepreneurship eg : MUDRA loans -> 66% benefic. women -> 81% better repayment than men (iii) revitalising local economy = eg:- Lijjat papad

(iv) AMUL is the biggest example of a SHG with global presence.

• Failures of SHGs:- (i) lack of expertise - product & technical. (ii) low institutional support - due to patriarchy. (iii) high expenditure of ancillary activities - eg:- audit, book keeping etc. (iv) Low pan India presence - eg:- North East (v) Need for financial & operational handhold.