MICRO FINANCING AND RURAL WOMEN EMPOWERMENT THROUGH SELF HELP GROUPS

Abstract

Himachal Pradesh has emerged as a pioneer in many fields. Per capita income of state has zoomed from ₹240 in 1948 to more than ₹2, 35,199 in 2023-2024. State is developing in the case of women's empowerment, employment generation and environmental conservation. Agriculture, Horticulture and Animal Husbandry are sources of livelihood for about 70 per cent of population. Constitution of India guarantees no discrimination on the grounds of gender. But in reality, however rural women have harder lives and are often discriminated in the case of socio – economic empowerment. Self help group is a small voluntary association of poor people, preferably from same socio-economic background. They come together for the purpose of solving their common problems through self help groups and mutual help.   Self help groups are generally facilitated by NGOs, and increasingly advice and their members in a variety of on and off farm income generating activities. These self help groups also promotes small savings among member and are provided needed access from the local financial institutions.