Income Generating Activities of Women Self Help Groups of

Dharwad District of Karnataka: An Insight

K.K. Malshet* & Dr. L. Manjunath**

Mrs. Ashalatha K.V*** & Mrs.Geeta S Chitgubbi****

Abstract:
Each SHG has a unique system of organizing and managing it’s own finance and
operates as an independent unit. The SHG also provides a forum for social interaction,
which serves as an alternate social structure for peer level interaction with this
background the present study was conducted during 2004-05 in Dharwad, Kalghatagi and
Kundgol taluk of Dharwad district of Karnataka, covering 12 women SHGs. The
purpose was to obtain comprehensive knowledge for the participation of women Self
Help Groups of Dharwad district of Karnataka in various Income Generating Activities.
All the members of SHGs and grass root level workers of NGOs were interviewed
through a structured questionnaire. The study revealed that, the most popular economic
activities taken up by the individuals after joining the SHGs were, raising paddy nursery
for sale (25.83%) and pickle making (19.16%). The group activities included joint
purchase of groceries in bulk (58.33%). Independent variables like Age, Education,
Family size, Landholdings and Mass media participation had noticeable correlation with
income per month of the SHG group member. Aged, illiterate women earned less
compared to the members who had more exposure to mass media. Those SHG members
with large landholdings had an edge over members with small land holdings.

*
Asst. Professor (Extension), University of Agricultural Sciences, Dharwad (Karnataka)
* *
Professor of Agril Extension, Dept. of Agril. Extension Education, University of Agricultural
Sciences, Dharwad (Karnataka)
***
Asst. Professor Statistics, Agri.College,UAS, Dharwad (Karnataka)
****
Jr. Scientist(FRM), AICRP Scheme, R.H.Sc, University of Agricultural Sciences, Dharwad
(Karnataka)
Introduction
Poverty and unemployment are the twin evils faced by many of the developing
nations of the world today. In the past decade the number of women living under poverty
has increased disproportionately to the number of men living under poverty. Women
contribute two-thirds of world work hours, comprise half of humanity yet she earns only
one –third of total income and owns less than one-tenth of the world resources. (Anon,
1975). Female poverty is most directly related to the absence of economic resources
including credit land ownership and inheritance, lack of access to education and support
services minimal. Participation in the decision making process, credit is among the most
vital element in this combination of factors.

Self-help groups' concept is not new to India. But the various constructive
activities that can be undertaken to enhance the economic conditions of concerned
members and boost their social status is a new dimension added to it.
In recent years, SHGs have become significant institutions for rural
development. This has been particularly so in the case of poor women. The poor women
do not have enough capital to take up business enterprise on an individual basis. The
group approach makes the available collective wisdom and combined resources for any
task. In addition rural society’s self-help takes various forms. Activities like housing,
farm operations, which have to be completed within the stipulated time depend upon such
arrangements like wise people share implements required in production of agricultural
produce, sharing of irrigation water, bullocks etc., self-help in essence is a form of co-
operation. SHGs believe to serve as ladder for them. Hence, the present investigation is
taken up to study the various aspects of SHGs and its utility to members.

Methodology

Locale of the Study

Selection of the district

Dharwad district of Karnataka was purposely selected keeping in view the
availability of time, other resources and convenience of the researcher and also
considering the proximity of the University for guidance from the experts.
Selection of the taluk
Dharwad consists of only five taluks. Among the five taluks, maximum member
of SHGs are concentrated in three taluks namely, Dharwad, Kundgol and Kalghatgi was
purposively selected for study as they have more self-help groups.

Selection of sample for the study

A list of all the NGOs and other organizations promoting SHGs in Dharwad
district was obtained from NABARD, Dharwad. From this list the NGO, which had
promoted the maximum number of SHGs in Dharwad taluk, was selected. Amongst all
the SHGs promoted by the NGO women's SHGs working for four years or more were
sorted out. Finally twelve SHGs situated in six different villages were selected as the
sample with the due consideration to avoid overlapping of SHGs performing same
activity in one village as well to include a wide variety of SHGs. All the members of
SHGs selected formed the main respondents.
The number of respondents interviewed for the study totaled to 120 programme
co-coordinators and grass root workers of the NGO involved were also interviewed. The
study was conducted during 2004-05.

Data collection procedure

Primary data in the study has emerged from the following sources founder,
promoters of SHGs, middle and grass root level personnel of NGOs and members of self-
help groups. The schedule consisted of three points. The first part of the interview
schedule was a semi-structured interview schedule, which was used to interview all the
SHG members. The second part was structured interview schedule, which was used to
interview the spokespersons of the groups, and the third part had opened questions for the
middle and grass root levels personnel of the NGO.
The interview schedule was pre-tested by a pilot study conducted only thirty non-
sample respondents. Based on the experience gained for pre-test, necessary corrections
and modifications were done especially to ensure that the instructions and questions were
clear and unambiguous.
 Data collected from the SHG members were completed and analyzed. In this
study, performance referred to the economic activities undertaken by the members and
activities undertaken by the group as a whole for the benefit of its members.

Results and Discussion

Sources of information for SHG

Age: As it is seen in table 1 majority of the respondents (68.33%) were middle aged
while 18.33 per cent were young and the remaining were old. Predominance of middle
aged women might be due to their presence sin large number in the society, greater free
time and being more responsible citizens than their younger counterparts. Older women
are discouraged due to poor health and stamina. Kumaran (1997), Prasad (1998),
Puhazhendi and Jayaraman (1999) as well as Murgan and Dharmalingam (2000) reported
similar findings.

Education: The educational level of the members shows that 72.50 per cent were
illiterate followed by 15.83 per cent who had primary level education, 4.17, 5.00, 2.50
per cent, respectively had middle school, high school and intermediate level education,
respectively. Seventy per cent of the respondents were illiterates and 16.00 per cent who
were literates had studied only up to the primary level. This situation might have risen
due to the poor education facilities, paucity of schools, absence of schools in the village
and nearby villages, it might also be resultant of the common belief that women do not
require education and that education is meant only for men and people from the elite
class.
Educated women wherever present are an asset to the group as they take care of
the maintenance of all the records and documents of the groups. In groups where all
members were illiterates the group was dependent on other like educated spouse or
school going children. In some groups they have paid accountants to take care of the
documentation process.
Kumaran (1997), Prasad (1998), Puhazhandi and Jayaraman (1999) reported
similar findings.
Landholding
Vast majority of the respondents were landless (47.50%) while a little above a
quarter of respondents were marginal farmers with less than 2.5 acres small farmers
comprise 20.83 per cent of the respondents. Medium farmers and big farmers comprised
6.67 and 1.67 per cent, respectively. As recorded by Puhazhendi (2000) this study also
revealed that the landowners farm a minority. Among those who possessed land majority
were marginal or small farmers. Most of it was dry land and rarely more than a single
crop was raised. Thus, the plight of the landed respondents was as bad as that of the
landless respondents.

Mass media participation

The table 2 projects that majority of the respondents did not listen to radio
(49.17%) of the remaining 40.00 per cent listened occasionally while 10.83 per cent were
regular listeners.

The television viewing habit was found to be regular amongst 15.83 per cent,
occasional among 56.67 per cent while the remaining never watched. Newspaper reading
was very poor with only 24.17 per cent reading it occasionally while the remaining never
read. Majority of the respondents listening radio regularly and random paper
occasionally, which further might have awakened the women to realize the current
situation across and the same might have lead to build self confidence to further munch
towards empowerment of themselves, their facilities and society as well.

Correlation between the independent variables and income per months of the SHG
group members

The table 3 revealed that, the correlation study indicates there was a positive
relation between independent variables i.e., Age, Family size and Land holding with
dependent variable i.e., income per month. However, they are not significant. There was
a positive significant at five per cent level correlation between Mass media participation
and Income, and, also positive significant relationship at one per cent level between
Education and Income. This indicates that as education increased, income increases.
Similarly, the relation between Mass media participation and income was positive
significant at five per cent indicating as Mass media participation income also increases.

Income generating activities undertaken by the SHG members

Table 4 revealed that, a birds eye view of the content of table 5 reveals that the
wide range of activities undertaken by the SHG members. A maximum of one-fourth of
the respondents were found to indulge in raising paddy nursery and another one-fourth in
pickle making less than one-fourth took up leaf plate making.

Mushroom cultivation and seed storage was practiced by 10.00 and 13.33 per
cent, respectively. Less than 15.00 per cent of the members took up goat rearing, buffalo
rearing, pottery and soap box makings, book selling, tailoring and vermicomposting and
rabbit rearing was professed by less than 5.00 per cent of the members. Less than two
per cent each took up bee keeping, poultry rearing after joining the SHGs.

The members of SHGs could take up a number of income generating activities

due to the credit and support provided by their respective SHGs. The most common
activities were found to be raising of paddy nursery and pickle making which was taken
up by one-fourth of the respondent each. This could be become of the familiarity of the
women with these activities complemented by the easily mastered skills involved and the
enumerative nature of the jobs. Leaf plate making was also practiced by almost one-
quarter of the respondents. Some women made leaf plates using bits of Jowar or Maize
barks sticks to join the leaves while other stitched the leaves together using machines.
The later technique was followed by young and middle aged women, the production of
leaf plates was double in mechanized form and it also fetched higher returns in the
market. Mushroom cultivation was popularized among the women folk by the NGO
workers, it was raised for household consumption and was later discontinued when
spawn become unavailable.

Those engaged in goat and buffalo rearing were less than ten per cent each. This
might be due to the high input cost involved in purchase of cattle. Pottery was practiced
by women who were traditionally potters or married to potter families. These potter
women remained as housewives before theirs formation of SHGs, but after joining the
SHGs they have availed loans and have becomes deeply involved in profession. A small
percentage of the women had taken up activities like tailoring, rabbit rearing, bangle
manufacturing, bee keeping, poultry rearing and vermicomposting.

Most of the women practiced traditional jobs, which were suitable to the local
conditions and for which raw materials were available within the village itself. Some
women had taken up non-conventional jobs like bee keeping, rabbit rearing,
vermicomposting and the like due to the training and exposure provided by NGO as well
as the encouragement from the family and personal degree.

Bulk purchase of groceries was found to be a common group activity taken up by

two-thirds of the groups. This might be due to the margin gained by them by purchasing
it from a wholesaler in the nearby cities as well as the common purchase reduce the
drudgery of the women at the same time as two women representing the entire group get
all the grocery items from the city to the doorstep of the members.

Conclusion

It was observed from the study that income per month of SHG members had a
positive relation with respect to the factors like Age, Family size and land holding, TV,
Radio ,Education level of the members. The most common income generating activity,
which was found raising of paddy nursery,.

Activities undertaken by SHGs had a remarkable influence on the income

generated by the group and bulk purchase of groceries as their common activity.
 References

ANONYMOUS, 1975, World Conference of the United Nations, the Decade for the
Women, Nairobi, Kenya.

KUMARAN, K.P., 1997, Self help groups – An alternative to institutional credit to the
poor – A case study in Andhra Pradesh. Journal of Rural Development, 16(3):
515-530.

KUMARAN, K.P., 1997, Self help groups – An alternative to institutional credit to the
poor – A case study in Andhra Pradesh. Journal of Rural Development, 16(3):
515-530.

MURGAN, K.R. AND DHARMALINGAM, B., 2000, Self help groups – new women’s
movement in Tamil Nadu. Social Welfare, 46: 9-12.

PUHAZHENDI, V. AND JAYARAMAN, B., 1999, Increasing women's participation and

employment generation among rural poor – An approach through informal
groups. National Bank News Review, 15(4): 55-62.

PUHAZHENDI, V., 2000, Evaluation study of SHGs in Tamil Nadu. NABARD,

Mumbai.

SNEHALATHA, M. AND REDDY, M.N., 1998, Impact of thrifts and credit groups in
income generation of rural women. Journal of Extension Education, 9(2): 2031-
2032.
Table 1. Socio-economic Profile of the members
N = 120

Variables Frequency Per cent

Age
Young (19-30 yrs) 22 18.33
Middle (31-50 yrs) 82 68.34
Old (Above 50 yrs) 16 13.33
Education
Illiterate 87 72.50
Primary School 19 15.83
Middle School 5 4.17
High School 6 5.00
PUC 3 2.50
Land holding (acres)
Land less 57 47.50
0.1 – 2.5 28 23.33
2.51 – 5.0 25 20.83
5.01 – 10.0 8 6.67
10.01 – 25.0 2 1.67
Note: Multiple answers are received by the respondents.
Table 2. Mass media participation by SHG members
n = 120
Sl. Participation
No. Mass media Regular Occasional Never
1 Radio listening behaviour 13 48 59
(10.83) (40.0) (49.17)

2 Television viewing habit 19 68 33

(15.83) (56.67) (27.50)

3 News paper 29 91 -
(24.17) (75.83)

Table 3. Correlation between the independent variables and Income per month of
the SHG group members

Independent variables 'r' values

Age 0.03
Education 0.28**
Family size 0.04
Land holdings 0.09
Mass media participation 0.18*

* Significance are < 0.05

** Significance are < 0.01
Table 4. Income Generating Activities undertaken by the SHG members

Sl.
Activity Frequency Percentage
No.
1. Raising paddy nursery for sale 31 25.83
2. Pickle making 23 19.16
3. Leaf storage + leaf plate making 21 17.50
4. Mushroom cultivation 12 10.00
5. Seed storage 16 13.33
6. Goat rearing 18 15.00
7. Buffalo rearing 21 17.50
8. Pottery 7 5.83
9. Soap box making 9 7.50
10. Selling books 5 4.16
11. Manufacture of lice killing medicine 2 1.66
12. Tailoring 4 3.33
13. Rabbit rearing 2 1.66
14. Bangle manufacture 2 1.66
15. Bee keeping 2 1.66
16. Poultry rearing 3 2.50
17. Vermicomposting 4 3.33
18. Bulk Purchase of Groceries 7 58.33
Note: More than one activity has been taken up by SHG members

Socio-economic profile of Women Self Help Groups of

Dharwad District, Karnataka
K.K. Malshet* & Dr. L. Manjunath**

*
Asst. Professor (Extension), University of Agricultural Sciences, Dharwad (Karnataka)
 Abstract:
A study was conducted during 2004-05 in Dharwad, Kalaghatgi and Kundgol
Taluk of Dharwad district of Karnataka, covering 12 women SHGs. The purpose was to
obtain a comprehensive knowledge of the performance of SHGs in Dharwad district with
special importance to the procedure followed in the formation activities undertaken,
benefits derived by the members, the difficulties encountered as well as their suggestions
and socio-economic profile of members. All the members of SHGs and grass root level
workers of NGOs were interviewed. The socio-economic profiles revealed that majority
of the members were middle aged (68.33%), married (71.60%), illiterates (68.33%) with
nuclear families (70%). 42.50% of them were farm laborers. Maximum percentage of the
sample (47.50%), were landless or small/marginal farmers below the poverty line. The
SHG members faced constraints like misunderstanding amongst SHG members
(39.16%), difficulties in diversification of activities or starting new activities (37.50%).

Introduction
Two major retarding factors which are affecting the developing countries of the world
today are poverty and unemployment. Eventhough women comprise half of
humanity and contribute two thirds of total world work hours they earn only 33% of
total income and own less than 10% of the total world resources (Anon. 1975).
Poverty among Women is directly related to the absence of economic resources
including credit land ownership and inheritance, lack of access to education and
support services minimal. Lack of participation in the decision making process and
poor access to credit are the vital elements in the deprivation of status of Women in
the society at large.
Unlike in many other countries, which have already adopted qualitative changes
in the creation & proper running of SHGs from the mid seventies, as a part of the formal
credit delivery system, India has been experimenting with the concept, for decades
(Karmakar 1998).
Self-Help Group concept is not new to India. It was there in many forms. But
the various constructive activities that can be undertaken to enhance the economic
conditions of concerned members and boost their social status is comparatively a new
dimension added to it. The various divergent groups, their divergent interest etc., have

* *
Professor of Agril Extension, Dept. of Agril. Extension Education, University of Agricultural
Sciences, Dharwad (Karnataka)
been considerably modified and shaped so that a common goal emerges to initiate an
action plan, which is drawn to achieve the same through SHGs.
There is a growing interest among the villagers, irrespective of caste, creed or sex
to change their social & economic status. In recent years, SHGs have become significant
institutions for rural development. This has been particularly so in the case of poor
women.
The poor women do not have enough capital to start a business enterprise on
individual basis. The group’s approach makes available the collective wisdom and
combined resources for any task. In addition, in rural societies Self-Help concept takes
various forms. Activities like housing, farm operations, which have to be completed
within the stipulated time, depend upon such arrangements like wise people sharing of
implements required in the production of Agricultural produce, Irrigation water, Bullocks
etc., Self-Help in essence is a form of co-operation. SHGs contribute immensely to it.
Hence, the present investigation is taken up to study the various aspects of SHGs and its
utility to members.
Methodology
Locale of the Study
Dharwad district of Karnataka was purposely selected keeping in view the availability
of time, other resources. Among the five taluks, of Dharwad District, maximum
number of SHGs were concentrated in three taluks namely, Dharwad, Kundgol and
Kalaghatgi and hence they were purposively selected for study.
Selection of Sample for the Study
A list of all the NGOs and other organizations promoting SHGs in Dharwad
district was obtained from NABARD, Dharwad. From this list the NGO, which had
promoted the maximum number of SHGs in Dharwad taluk, was selected. Amongst all
the SHGs promoted by the NGO women's SHGs, working for four years or more were
filtered out. Finally twelve SHGs situated in six different villages were selected as the
sample with the due consideration to avoid overlapping of SHGs performing same
activity in one village as well to include a wide variety of SHGs. All the members of
SHGs selected formed the main respondents.
The number of respondents interviewed for the study totaled to 120. Programme
coordinators and grass root workers of the NGO involved were also interviewed. The
study was conducted during 2004-05.
Variables of the Study and their measurements
Performance of SHGs
In this study, performance referred to the economic activities undertaken by the
members and activities undertaken by the group as a whole for the benefit of its
members.

Socio-Economic Variables
Age: It is referred to the chronological age of the respondents in completed years at the
time of investigation. The respondents were further categorized into three age groups.
Categories Age (in years)
Young 18-30
Middle 31-50
Old aged Above 50

Education: It is operationalised as the extent of formal education, the rural women have
undergone. The respondents were grouped into four different categories based on
frequencies. The procedure followed by Hiremath (2000) was used with slight
modification.
Categories
Illiterate
Primary School
High School
PUC

Land holding: It is the actual land owned by the family of rural women in acres. The
procedure followed by Hiremath (2000) was followed with slight modification.
Categories Area (in acres)
Landless Nil
Marginal 0.1 – 2.5 acres
Small farm 2.51 – 5.0 acres
Semi-Medium farm 5.01 – 10.0 acres
Medium farm 10.01 – 25.0 acres

Occupation: It is the major occupation followed by the members of the self-help groups.
Frequency and percentage were calculated for each.
Annual income: It was measured by considering the total income of the family from all
the services and categorized the respondents according to the classification suggested by
Department of Revenue, Government of Karnataka as indicated below:
Categories
Below poverty level : up to Rs.11,500
Above poverty level : Above Rs.11,500

Marital status: Marital status of the respondent was noted by asking them directly and
were classified into single and married.
Type and Size of family: The respondents were categorized into two different categories
namely joint and nuclear based on which type of family the respondent belongs. Family
size was operationalised as total number of members residing together in the family at the
time of investigation. The size of the family was categorized as small and large by
following the general norm.
Categories Size
Small Up to four members
Large Above four members

Membership in other organizations: The respondents were asked whether they had
membership in any organization in addition to the SHG, their responses were noted and
were classified into members of village development sangh, village forest committee and
school board, in addition to the non-members.
Material possessions: It is the possession of materials like radio, television, two in one
system and sewing machines by the respondents. Frequency and percentage was
calculated for each possession.
Mass media participation: The radio listening television viewing and newspaper
reading habit of the respondent was asked and classified into regular, occasional and
never.
Data collection procedure
Primary data in the study has emerged from different sources like founder,
promoters of SHGs, middle and grass root level personnel of NGOs and members of self-
help groups. The schedule consisted of three points. The first part of the interview
schedule was a semi-structured interview schedule, which was used to interview all the
SHG members. The second part was structured interview schedule, which was used to
interview the spokespersons of the groups, and the third part had opened questions for the
middle and grass root levels personnel of the NGO.
The interview schedule was pre-tested by a pilot study conducted only thirty non-
sample respondents. Based on the experience gained for pre-test, necessary corrections
and modifications were done especially to ensure that the instructions and questions were
clear and unambiguous.
Data collected from the SHG members were completed and analyzed.
Statistical analysis
The respondents were categorized into different groups based on appropriate criteria
and the frequency percentage distribution of respondents under each group was
computed. The relationship between the independent variables and income per month
of SHG group members was calculated by using correlation Pearson's correlation co-
efficient.

Results and Discussion

Socio-economic Profile of the members

Age: As it is seen in table 1 majority of the respondents (68.33%) were middle aged
while 18.33 per cent were young and the remaining were old. Predominance of
middle aged women might be due to their presence sin large number in the society,
greater free time and being more responsible citizens than their younger counterparts.
Older women are discouraged due to poor health and stamina. Kumaran (1997),
Prasad (1998), Puhazhendi and Jayaraman (1999) as well as Murgan and
Dharmalingam (2000) reported similar findings.

Marital status: In the case of marital status almost three-fourths of the respondents
were married while a little over one-fourth of the respondents were single. Majority
of the respondents were married of the one-fourth who were single 26.00 per cent
were widows the remaining unmarried. Presence of large number of married women
might be due to the system of early marriage followed in rural areas. It is soothing to
see that the weakest among the weaker sex namely the widows and deserted women
were also a part of the SHG movement and could thereby become self reliant and self
sufficient through SHGs.
Education: The educational level of the members shows that 72.50 per cent were
illiterate followed by 15.83 percent who had primary level education, 4.17, 5.00, 2.50
per cent, respectively had middle school, high school and intermediate level
education, respectively. Seventy per cent of the respondents were illiterates and 16.00
per cent who were literates had studied only up to the primary level. This situation
might have risen due to the poor education facilities, paucity of schools, absence of
schools in the village and nearby villages, it might also be resultant of the common
belief that women do not require education and that education is meant only for men
and people from the elite class.
Educated women wherever present are an asset to the group as they take care of the
maintenance of all the records and documents of the groups. In groups where all
members were illiterates the group was dependent on other like educated spouse or
school going children. In some groups they have paid accountants to take care of the
documentation process. Kumaran (1997), Prasad (1998), Puhazhandi and Jayaraman
(1999) reported similar findings.
Type and size of the family
Most of the respondents belonged to nuclear families only 30.00 per cent belonged to
joint families. In case of family size large with more than four members was reputed
by 57.50 per cent while the remaining respondents belonged to small families.
Nuclear families were the dominant category, which is consensus with the findings of
Prasad (1998). In case of family size small and large facilities were almost equal with
large facilities slightly higher in number.
The predominance of nuclear families might be done to the fact that most of the
respondents were landless, it might also have risen due to the need for privacy and
awareness of benefits of small family by the respondents.
Occupation
Majority of the respondents were farm labourers (42.50%) followed by 17.50 per cent
who derived their income from agriculture as well as labour (10.80%) depended on
animal rearing. On the other hand, 10.00 per cent were housewives and 5.00 per cent
were potters. A small percent derived their livelihood from agriculture, grocery shop
and tailoring. According to Kumaran (1997), Prasad (1998) and Pahazhandi and
Jayaraman (1999) majority of the women were engaged as agricultural labourers.
The present study reveals similar findings as shown in table-1. Those engaged as
agricultural labourers were landless while those who took up farm labour along with
cultivation processed marginal dry lands, which was insufficient to make ends meet.
About one-fourth of the respondents had taken up non-farm activities. The majority
of the women had no other option but to take up farm labourers as they lacked
physical and material resources. Most of the women who had done so after joining
self help groups. Thus, it proved possible for the women indulged in farm activities
to diversity into non-farm activities either on a supplementary basis or as a complete
replacement.

Landholding
Vast majority of the respondents were landless (47.50%) while a little above a quarter
of respondents were marginal farmers with less than 2.5 acres small farmers comprise
20.83 per cent of the respondents. Medium farmers and big farmers comprised 6.67
and 1.67 per cent, respectively. As recorded by Puhazhendi (2000) this study also
revealed that the landowners farm a minority. Among those who possessed land
majority were marginal or small farmers. Most of it was dry land and rarely more
 than a single crop was raised. Thus, the plight of the landed respondents was as bad
as that of the landless respondents.
Annual Income
More than three-fourths of the respondents came below the poverty level while
almost a quarter were above the poverty line. SHGs have been conceived as
mechanisms to uplift the downtrodden women especially, those below the poverty
line. The present study reveals that over three-fourth of the respondents still fall
below the poverty line i.e., less than Rs.11,500 per annum. Kumaran (1997), Prasad
(1998), Puhazhendi and Jayaram (1999), Murgan and Dharmalingam (2000) as well
as Puhazhendi (2000) reported similar findings. This might be because the
respondents involved were among the poorest of the poor. Therefore, even in spite of
increased income generation, it has not been substantial enough to raise them above
the level of poverty in case of 75.00 per cent of the sample studied.
Material Possessions
Less than half the families of the respondents possessed radio while quarter of them
own television, 10% possessed two-in-one sets, 5% possessed sewing machines. Two-
fifth of the respondents' own radio and quarter respondents' own television. Among
the 54 respondents who owns radio only 13 listen regularly. The occasional radio
listeners include those who listen at neighbour or friends homes. Similarly, the
respondents who own television 19 view regularly. The occasional viewers of
television include those who view at neighbours or friends places. Radio being cheap
has found a wide entry into many of the homes, television especially the portable,
black and white sets owned by the respondents, which some of them have brought on
installment basis.
Correlation between the independent variables and income per months of the
SHG group members

Table 3 relationship betweens the independent variables and income per month of the
SHG group members reveal that, there is a positive significant relationship between
education and income per month so also mass medias participation with income per
month. That as the education and the respondents' increases, their income/month, i.e.,
similarly, with the increase in mass media participation, there is increase in income.
It was noticed that as Age, Family size and land holding increased the income also
increased, but the relation is not significant. The positive relation between education
and income was highly significant. This indicates that as education increased, income
increases. Similarly the relation between mass media participation and income was
positive significant at five per cent indicating as mass media participation income also
increases.

Constraints faced by members

It is clear from table 2 that there were number of constraints faced by the members
among which, misunderstanding among SHG members was the majors constraint faced
by 39.00 per cent of the members while 37.00 per cent of the members faced difficulties
in diversification of activities or in starting new activities. Functional / operational
difficulties like lack of space for storage and frequent power cuts were repeated by 22 per
cent of the members. Constraints analysation

The misunderstanding between the SHG members is obvious due to multivaried

trades of the groups. In a heterogeneous nature of SHGs, variation in socio-
economical status which education, caste, income, age, family background and family
status are pertinent and natural. It is but possible that better skill oriented ladies
are/and better socio-economic status members may dominant the members subduing
the rest in decision making, which might create misunderstanding, indecisiveness and
inferiority feeling which may further aggravate the situation in working in a harmony
for common goal. These variations and misunderstanding can be over come by
proper orientation to the members giving adequate training for all the members and
some times it need to be prevent dominant of single member by giving opportunity to
all the members

Conclusion

The present study on self-Help Groups (SHG) met my objectives are as follows:
Majority of the members of the SHGs were motivated by themselves, because they
understood that the SHGs is a good means to save. Neighbours and other family
members were their sources of information.
The correlation tests was applied for the independents variables with income per
month as dependent variable revealed that there is positive significant relationship
between education and income per month so also mass media participation with
income per month.
Misunderstanding amongst SHG members, difficulty in diversification of the
activities, lack of space for storage of materials, difficulties experienced in marketing
prepared products and frequent powers cuts were some of the problems faced by
SHGs members.
Based on the above mentioned problems, the SHGs members suggested theirs owns
solutions likes improvements of overall functioning of the SHGs and improvement in
the activities undertaken by the SHG.
We can analyse the constraints made by the SHG members are as follows:
 .

References

ANONYMOUS, 1975, World Conference of the United Nations, the Decade

for the Women, Nairobi, Kenya.

KARMAKAR, K.G., 1998, SHGs in Orissa – Some conceptual issues.

Prajnans, 26(2): 123-131.

KUMARAN, K.P., 1997, Self help groups – An alternative to institutional credit to the
poor – A case study in Andhra Pradesh. Journal of Rural Development, 16(3):
515-530.

MURGAN, K.R. AND DHARMALINGAM, B., 2000, Self help groups – new
women’s movement in Tamil Nadu. Social Welfare, 46: 9-12.

PRASAD, C.H., 1998, Implementation process of Women Development programme

(IFAD – an Experimental Model. Journal of Rural Development, 17(4): 779-791.

PUHAZHENDI, V. AND JAYARAMAN, B., 1999, Increasing women's

participation and employment generation among rural poor – An
approach through informal groups. National Bank News Review,
15(4): 55-62.

PUHAZHENDI, V., 2000, Evaluation study of SHGs in Tamil Nadu. NABARD,

Mumbai.

Table 1. Socio-economic Profile of the members

N = 120

Variables Frequency Per cent

Age
Young (19-30 yrs) 22 18.33
Middle (31-50 yrs) 82 68.34
Old (Above 50 yrs) 16 13.33
Marital Status
Married 86 71.6
Single (unmarried/widows/Divorces) 34 28.4
Variables Frequency Per cent
Education
Illiterate 87 72.50
Primary School 19 15.83
Middle School 5 4.17
High School 6 5.00
PUC 3 2.50
Religion
Hindu 111 92.5
Muslim 8 6.67
Jain 1 0.83
Type of family
Joint 36 30.00
Nuclear 84 70.00
Size of family
Small (up to 4 members) 51 42.5
Large (more than 4) 69 57.5
Occupation
Farm labourers 51 42.50
Agriculture + labourers 21 17.50
Animal rearing 13 10.80
House wife 12 10.00
Pottery 6 5.00
Agriculture 11 9.16
Grocer / Kirani shop 3 2.50
Tailoring 5 4.16
Vegetable vender 4 3.33
Student 2 1.60
Land holding (acres)
Land less 57 47.50
0.1 – 2.5 28 23.33
2.51 – 5.0 25 20.83
5.01 – 10.0 8 6.67
10.01 – 25.0 2 1.67
Annual Income (Rs.)
Above 11,500 17 14.17
Variables Frequency Per cent
Less than or equal to11,500 103 85.83
Material possessions
Radio 44 36.67
Television 25 20.83
Two-in-one 12 10.00
Sewing machine 6 5.00
No materials 33 27.50
Note: Multiple answers are received by the respondents.
Table 2. Constraints faced by members

Sl.
Category Frequency Percentage
No.
1. Not getting adequate quantity of raw material 18 15.00
at the right time
2. Frequent power cuts, lack of space for 27 22.50
storage of materials
3. Difficulties in sale of prepared products 18 15.00
4. Misunderstanding amongst SHG members 49 39.16
5. Not getting adequate credit 13 10.83
6. Maintenance of accounts 11 9.16
7. Intervention of local leaders 19 15.83
8. Difficulties in diversification of activities and 45 37.50
/ or starting new activities

Note: Multiple answers received by members

Table 3. Correlation between the independent variables and income per month of
the SHG group members

Independent variables 'r' values

Age 0.03
Education 0.28**
Family size 0.04
Land holdings 0.09
Mass media participation 0.18*

* Significance are < 0.05

** Significance are < 0.01