A REVIEW OF SELF HELP GROUPS: ISSUE AND CHALLENGES IN INDIA

Basic purpose of this study is to review the challenges and issues faced by SHGs in India. It was found that SHG’s facilitated the members to become self dependent for solving their social & economic problems and enhances the social status of members by virtue of their being members to the group. Self help groups are small informal association of the poor created at the grass root level for the purpose of enabling members to reap economic benefits out of mutual help solidarity and joint responsibility. Self help groups are formed voluntarily by the rural and urban poor to save and contribute to a common fund to be lent to be lent to its members as per group decision and for working together for social and economic uplift of their families and community. The SHGs, being a group of like- minded persons, get empowered to solve most of its problems of a non-financial nature such as a row material and input supply marketing, better adopting the technology, education and training for realization of its objectives for development. Thus, self help groups disburse microcredit to the rural women for the purpose of making them enterprising women and encouraging them to inter into entrepreneurial activities. Credit needs of the rural and urban poor women are fulfilled totally thought the SHGs. SHGs enhance equality of status of women as participation, decision-makers and beneficiaries in the democratic, economic, social and cultural spheres of life.