The livelihood needs of the poor and empowerment of women through self help groups in Karnataka

Self Help Groups have been receiving greater attention by all the concerned like the Government, NABARD, RBI, Commercial Banks, and RRBs. This innovative form of credit delivery is catching up in a big way in rural areas. SHG movement is leveraging the strength of the formal banking system and flexibility of informal SHGs in providing adequate financial services to the rural poor. The programme has turned in to a social movement with high expansion rates in recent years. Fuelled by competence and enthusiasm at all stakeholder levels, it is expanding rapidly throughout India, including tribal areas. It is probably the world's largest and most successful micro finance programme for the rural poor-outstanding in its emphasis on self-reliance and local autonomy of the very poor. It is widely felt that there have been perceptible changes in the living conditions of the rural poor mainly on economic side and relatively on social side. It is with this perceptional background that a detailed study has to be undertaken to find out the economic impact of the Self-Help Groups on the development of rural economy.