Impacts of Self-help Groups on Empowerment of Rural Women: A Study in Thoubal District of Manipur

The study was conducted in the Thoubal district of Manipur. A total of twelve SHGs were selected from Thoubal and Kakching block. A sample of 120 respondents (10 respondents from each SHG) was selected for the study. The study revealed that majority of the respondents were having medium to low level of socio-economic conditions. Different impact analyses (using ranking technique) revealed that ‘increased knowledge about SHG activities’ resulted in knowledge/awareness/attitude impact, ‘increased skill in record keeping, accounting and Bank operations’ resulted into capacity building/skill enhancement, ‘increased mobility’ resulted into self-developmental impact, ‘enjoying better standard of life’ resulted in personally benefitted/ empowered by SHG, ‘increased influence in social, community and other activities’ resulted into socially benefited impact, ‘feel empowered to decide upon daily activities’ resulted into daily time management impact. The results of the overall perception of the respondents about all six aspects of impacts perceived high level of impacts.