Impact of Micro-Finance on Member of a Self-help Group—Sthree Shakti Group

The impact of micro-finance on members of a self-help group, viz. Sthree Shakti Group (SSG) has been studied by indicators like loan disbursement, loan utilization pattern, savings, asset creation, employment generation and decision-making of SSG-members vis-à-vis non-SSG members. The study has shown that the loan taken by SSG members ( 3312) was higher than non-SSG members ( 1687). About 80 per cent of SSG members had institutional participation, whereas only 17 per cent had institutional participation in non-SSG members. A high empowerment level was observed among SSG members. In the case of a government-promoted SSG, the maximum number of borrowers had taken loan for animal husbandry (34%), followed by agriculture (24%) and income generation actuaries (28%). In the case of NGO-promoted SSG, the maximum borrowings were used gone for animal husbandry (48%) followed by income generation activities (30%). On the other hand, the majority of non-SSG members had used loan for agriculture (40%), followed by animal husbandry (30%). In terms of employment generation, a government-promoted SSG provided additional employment for 50 labour days per annum as there was shifting from agriculture to livestock, the other important activities were tailoring (80 labour days) and flower vending (60 labour days). In the case of NGO-promoted SSG, the additional employment generated per annum was highest from laundry (80 labour days), followed by livestock (60 labour days).