Self Help Groups (SHGs) for Financial Inclusion of Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) in Odisha

As per 2011 census, out of the total population, tribes constitute 8.6 percent in India. Odisha has 23 percent of tribal population to its total population and has the distinction of the highest number of 13 PVTGs. The PVTG¹ is a government of India groundwork formed with the purpose of empowering development in the situations of certain communities with particularly low development indicators. To outline the socio-economic analysis of PVTGs based on collected field data pertaining to their income, savings, credit, indebtedness, and the role of SHGs for financial inclusion. 305 households are selected through simple random sampling covering 6 villages from each development agency and in aggregate 19 villages from three agencies. The study is based on mostly primary sources of data accumulated through brief interviews with the PVTGs households supplemented by secondary sources. It is found that the PVTG households that were part of self-help groups establishing a village-level organisation; had an increase in household income. Women’s self-help groups in PVTG households have driven past impediments and enhanced household incomes.