Strategic effectiveness of micro-credit in empowering women: A study of women self-help groups in block bhalwal (Jammu district, J&K)

India, which has about 70 percent of the total population living in rural areas most of who are poor - the programme of microfinance in terms of linking SHGs with banks holds a critical role in targeting poverty reduction and empowering women socially, politically and economically. In Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) there is a lot of scope for involvement of women in Micro-credit programmes, because many women in the state are involved in handicraft sector. The present paper explores the impact of micro-credit through the agency of Self-Help Groups (SHGs) in empowering women in Jammu district (J&K) under Swaranjayanti Gram Swarozgar Yojna (SGSY). The study focuses on the economic as well as non-economic aspects of women empowerment to make the study sociologically significant. Women have been empowered to some extent as observed through various changes at social, personal, economic and political fronts but micro- credit movement has to be viewed from a long-term perspective under SHG framework to make it a real achiever.