A study on

social, economical & political empowerment of SHGs

Project work submitted in partial

Fulfillment of the requirement for the degree on

MASTER OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION

By

AARTHI.P 09/EP 1716

PALLAVI.S 09/EP1717

RAMYA. A 09/EP1727

SIVARANGANI.V 09/EP 1733

Under the guidance of

Mrs. Ananthi Nagarajan

Lecturer

DEPARTMENT OF MBA

ETHIRAJ COLLEGE FOR WOMEN

CHENNA – 108

MARCH – 2010

DECLARATION
1
We hereby declare that the project work titled on social, economical &
political empowerment of SHGs submitted by us in partial fulfillment of the
requirement for the degree of MASTER OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION,
ETHIRAJ COLLEGE for Women (Autonomous) Chennai, is my original
work and it has not formed the basis for the award of any other
Degree.

Data:

Place: Chennai
GROUP.8

2
 Acknowledgement
The immense pleasure and joy one derives on the completion of the
assigned job is beyond description. It is our duty to pay respects and
acknowledge the advice, esteemed guidance and assistance received
from all quarters to such an accomplishment.

I take immense pleasure to thank my project guide Mrs. Ananthi

Nagarajan for her constant support, valuable guidance and
suggestions during the course of project completion.

Finally, I thank all staffs of Ethiraj College for Women and department
of commerce for their everlasting support. Last but not the least my
friends, who helped me all the way in this journey.

3
 TABLE OF CONTENTS

CHAPTER NO TOPIC PAGE NO

LIST OF TABLES 5

LIST OF CHARTS 7

1. INTRODUCTION 10

2. OBJECTIVES 14

3. INDUSTRIAL PROFILE 16

4. REVIEW OF LITERATURE 30

5. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 33

NEED OF THE STUDY 33

SCOPE OF THE STUDY 34

RESEARCH DESIGN 35

SAMPLE SIZE 35

DATA COLLECTION 36

6. DATA ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION 40

STATISTICAL TOOL 77

7. FINDINGS 81

8. CONCLUSION 83

BIBLIOGRAPHY

ANNEXURE

LIST OF TABLES

TABLES TITLE PAGE

4
NO NO

1.1 Tables showing the type of SHGs 41

1.2 Tables showing the organization that promote SHGs 42

1.3 Tables showing if the SHGs are registered 43

1.4 Tables showing the act under which the SHGs are registered 44

1.5 Tables showing the affiliation of SHGs 45

1.6 Tables showing the frequency of meetings of the SHGs 46

1.7 Tables showing the frequency of savings 47

1.8 Tables showing if members have extra savings 48

1.9 Tables showing the educational qualification of the members 49

1.10 Tables showing the economic status of the members of the SHGs 50

1.11 Tables showing the training details of the SHGs 51

1.12 Tables showing the organizer details of the training programme 52

1.13 Tables showing the source of information to the SHGs 53

1.14 Tables showing the usage of revolving fund 55

1.15 Tables showing the problems faced by SHGs in group 56

management
1.16 Tables showing the impact of the SHG activities 58

1.17 Tables showing the responses for freely and frankly speaking in 60
SHG meetings
1.18 Tables showing the responses for teaching or training others 61

1.19 Tables showing the responses for speaking in public meetings 62

1.20 Tables showing the responses for presenting cultural programmes 63

in public

5
1.21 Tables showing the responses for taking leadership positions in 64
SHG
1.22 Tables showing the responses for writing minute of SHG 65
meetings
1.23 Tables showing the responses for keeping of SHG accounts 66

1.24 Tables showing the responses for performing bank transactions 67

1.25 Tables showing the responses for going to government office or 68

police station
1.26 Tables showing the responses for talking to government officials 69
or police
1.27 Tables showing the responses for Own savings account with 70
monthly savings
1.28 Tables showing the responses for Continuing the savings account 71
even if SHG ceases to exist
1.29 Tables showing on taken loans from money lenders before 72
joining the SHG?

1.30 Tables showing responses on availing loans from money lenders 73

even after joining SHG

1.31 Tables showing response for Competed in Panchayat or 74

Municipal elections
1.32 Tables showing result of the election 75

1.33 Tables showing responses on Active participant of any political 76

party

LIST OF CHARTS

6
S.NO TITLE PA
GE
NO
1.1 Charts showing the type of SHGs 41

1.2 Charts showing the organization that promote SHGs 42

1.3 Charts showing if the SHGs are registered 43

1.4 Charts showing the act under which the SHGs are registered 44

1.5 Charts showing the affiliation of SHGs 45

1.6 Charts showing the frequency of meetings of the SHGs 46

1.7 Charts showing the frequency of savings 47

1.8 Charts showing if members have extra savings 48

1.9 Charts showing the educational qualification of the members 49

1.10 Charts showing the economic status of the members of the SHGs 50

1.11 Charts showing the training details of the SHGs 51

1.12 Charts showing the organizer details of the training programme 52

1.13 Charts showing the source of information to the SHGs 54

1.14 Charts showing the usage of revolving fund 55

1.15 Charts showing the problems faced by SHGs in group management 57

1.16 Charts showing the impact of the SHG activities 59

1.17 Charts showing the responses for freely and frankly speaking in SHG 60
meetings
1.18 Charts showing the responses for teaching or training others 61

1.19 Charts showing the responses for speaking in public meetings 62

1.20 Charts showing the responses for presenting cultural programmes in public 63

1.21 Charts showing the responses for taking leadership positions in SHG 64

1.22 Charts showing the responses for writing minute of SHG meetings 65

1.23 Charts showing the responses for keeping of SHG accounts 66

1.24 Charts showing the responses for performing bank transactions 67

1.25 Charts showing the responses for going to government office or police 68
station
7
1.26 Charts showing the responses for talking to government officials or police 69

1.27 Charts showing the responses for Own savings account with monthly 70
savings
CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION

8
Rural women in our country constitute an important work force in agriculture and allied sectors
and are vital to the well being of farm households. Nearly half of the available human resource in
India is women. Majority of them are living in rural areas and most of them are illiterates
(Literacy rate is 39%) and are below poverty line. Besides this in comparison to urban women,
rural women have limited access to all kinds of resources such as education, financial support,
transportation, training, availability of current information etc. but have more hidden talents,
which have to be bought in to light. Hence, there is need to change their capacity to work by
giving them the necessary trainings on income generating activities, supporting them with
financial facilities, bringing their talents into light, giving them marketing knowledge, current
information etc. which helps in increasing knowledge, enriching their skills and improve their
economic status.

The new millennium has thrown many challenges subjecting many nations to undergo
transformation cutting across their established tradition and culture. New issues have to be
addressed to effect social and economical progress of our nation. The most important one is
women’s empowerment through Self-help groups. Nowadays. women have achieved success in
almost all the fields were men have achieved, but our rural women are not given opportunities to
show their talents. Hence, rural women should be encouraged and given an opportunity to take
up new economic activity and show her talents so that she can be empowered and also empower
others.

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 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.

9
 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. . Hence, the present investigation is taken up to study the various aspects of SHGs and
its utility to members.

Empowerment is the only answer: Will the empowerment of women mean a difference to their
present status? The answer could be mixed, though the positive side overshadows the negative
side. with all the social attitudes towards women, an empowered woman is in a far better position
than a lay, unlettered and helpless woman. And this empowerment has to cover the political,
economic, social and legal fields.

What is empowerment: It is giving lawful power or authority to act. If people were empowered
they would be able to participate in the planning, execution and implementation of
developmental schemes. Apart from Political Empowerment Economic and Social
Empowerment are crucial. Empowerment and development are closely related. Empowerment
leads to development, which further leads to greater empowerment.

Social Empowerment: Political empowerment of women is only a part of the overall

mainstreaming of women. At the political level only a microscopic minority of women, at the
helm of affairs, can effect the change in the life of women. It is the economic and social
empowerment of women that needs to be given greater importance. This could be achieved a lot
though education. Education of women means greater awareness of their role in society.
Awareness of their rights, better knowledge of housekeeping and better performance of their
roles as a housewife and mother. Education and training have opened up the avenues of
employment and self-employment in the organized sector. As never before women are working
in diverse fields as doctors, engineers, IAS officers, IPS officers, bank officials and in a wide
range of sectors in the unorganized sector. In agriculture, most of the operations are run by
women

Political Empowerment
All the same, women empowerment in national and State politics has just been a non-starter. It
has taken 56 years and 13 Lok Sabha for the percentage of women members in the House to
move up partially from a mere 4.4 percent in 1952 to 8.8 percent in 2004, a figure that is far
below the average of around 15 percent in countries which have elected legislatures. Though our

10
dismal record is comparable to Brazil’s 8.6%, Indonesia’s 8.0%, Russia’s 7.6%, Japan’s 7.3%,
Sri Lanka’s 4.4%and Bangladesh’s 2.0%. Yet we are far behind countries like Sweden (45.3%).
Cuba (36.0%). Germany (32.2%), China (21.8%), Pakistan (21.6%), UK (17.9%) and France
(12.2%).

11
CHAPTER 2

12
 OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY

o To study the present social, economical & political status of members from
different SHGs.

o To study their past social, economical & political status.

o To study the improvement in their social, economical & political status after
joining the SHGs.

13
CHAPTER 3

14
 PONDICHERRY SHG’S PROFILE
INTRODUCTION:
The World Development Report (WDR) 1990 emphasized that broad based economic growth
was necessary for sustained improvements in the earnings of the poor. It reported that poverty
had been reduced more successfully in countries that adopted the two strategies of:

i) growth creating productive opportunities for labour, thus raising the most important asset
owned by the poor, and

ii) investing in human capital of the poor, thus raising their capacity to benefit from the
opportunities arising from economic growth.

As a result, the poor would not only benefit from economic growth, but also contribute to it
(Squire, 1991).

New approaches to development for 21st century focuses on micro-

credit/finance as one of the panaceas for the overall development of a country, particularly at
grass root level. The preamble of World Micro-credit Summit 1997, Washington D.C., stressed
the need to recognize micro-credit as a powerful tool to end poverty and economic dependence,
particularly among women of the world’s poorest families, through self-employment and other
financial and business services. The latter would include training, saving facilities, networking
and peer support. Currently, the micro-credit programmes adopted by nearly 53 developing
countries are reported to have reached more than eight million of the poorest people in
developing countries.

SHG: Since 1999, a full fledged ‘self help group’ (SHG) movement has been initiated in India
as a linkage programme of the NABARD.

*It works on the principles of self-regulation, mutual help and cooperation, which ensures
financial discipline, transparency in accounting, and participatory decision making.

*It is started with a group of 10-20 members with families living below the poverty line (Rs.
24,000 per annum), who have to prove their thrift worthiness (saving and depositing in newly
started bank accounts) for six months, prior to getting a loan at subsidized and low interest rate.

15
*The effectiveness of the credit lies in elevating the target families above poverty line through
financial and non- financial assistance.

Purpose of the SHG loan:

• release the poor from exploitative clutches of money-lenders
• provide group members finances for production, investment and consumption

• ensure proper repayment of loans through group members to ensure future fund flows

• to stimulate self help capacity through saving and credit services

• to lead to women’s social and economic empowerment.

Problems of SHGs Respondents

Sl. No. Problems Total Score Mean Score Rank

1. Difficulty in getting raw materials. 1344 61.09 2

2. Lack of transport facilities. 1161 52.77 7
3. Competition from mechanized better quality 6133 55.75 5
product.
4. 6268 58.58 4
Marketing problems.
5. 5654 52.84 6
Low price and profit.
6. 819 63.00 1
Loans not received in time.
7. 2333 44.87 8
Non-cooperation of group members.
8. 474 59.25 3
Labour problems.
9. 5124 44.56 9
Work not regular.
10. 5713 42.01 10
Non-availability of common workshed .
11. 932 33.29 11
Distance of market.

Suggestions for Better Implementation of SHG Scheme

16
Sl. Suggestions Total Mean Rank
No. Score Score

1. Need for training to assist production remunerative 1351 23.29 4

commodities.
Grant of increased amount of loan for
2. 439 13.30 6
expanding production.
Ensure more work and regular employment opportunities for
3. the group. 2764 33.30 1
4. Want recognition in the country through 4676 43.30 3
5. increased group activity. 1000 20.00 5
6. Need further increase in savings level. 2958 34.00 2
7. Provision for common work shed. 289 10.70 7

Grant loan to start any business.

HIGHLIGHTS:

• The SHG programme is found to be having a favourable impact on the living standards of
its beneficiaries.

• It holds better promises for poverty alleviation and employment generation than the
earlier programmes due to its structure of easy credit, savings and peer monitoring

• The self-regulating mechanism of SHG scheme tends to ensure financial discipline,

which in turn would contribute to the sustainability of the micro-finance operations.

• Supervisions by both the government authorities for NABARD and group leaders or peer
members, and adherence to bye-laws, protects the interests of both the savers and
borrowers, which tends to result in the orderly growth of the micro-finance sector.

17
• This would in turn ensure the sustainability of the programme through sound financial
management and behavioural aspects, comprising group cohesion, transparency, regular
saving and participatory decision-making.

For greater success of SHG scheme:

* imparting activity-oriented training appropriate to present activities and future

needs

* enhancing capacity-building abilities for full participation

* provisions of supportive infrastructure is crucial, which includes access to ICT

* development of consciousness among the members to use credit effectively and

ensure sustainability of the activity in future

* constant monitoring and supervision by the implementing agencies as well

18
 DINDIGUL DISTRICT SHG’S PROFILE

Organization of Women Self Help Groups

TAPWA, has thus far, organized 199 women SHGs (Self-Help Groups) of various
communities including Scheduled Castes (153) and others (46) in the home district of
Dindigul and in nearby districts of Madurai and Theni. At present, TAPWA is managing
334 women SHGs in Tamil Nadu which includes 10 tribal women SHGs in the hills of
Kodaikkanal Taluk of Dindigul district.

Number of women SHG members

4000 women are enrolled as the members in the 334 women SHGs and among them,
2000 women belong to Scheduled caste groups and 100 belonging to Scheduled tribe
group (Paliyar)

Capacity Building training to Women SHG members

Women meet monthly to discuss the cultural, political, health and environmental issues
that affect their community since the inception of this program. They are facilitated to
become a united force intent on solving issues within their villages and communicating
their knowledge to other women as imparted through them at the TAPWA programs in
three districts of Tamil Nadu.

Socio Cultural Awareness Training

TAPWA is actively involved in conduction of the training for women members of SHGs
from the service area villages with the help of eminent sociologists in a participate
manner on various social issues.

19
Leadership and Legal Awareness Training

TAPWA is organizing leadership training for the benefit of women SHG members
including leaders of women SHGs in acquiring the leadership qualities and legal
awareness.

Micro Credit Management Training

TAPWA believed in collective efforts for bringing out enormous changes towards
improvement of the marginalized community. The groups have been encouraged for
saving practice and thrift activities with in their groups and the group members have been
entitled to attend income generation programs and trainings. Special meetings are
arranged for women to make planning strategies for their village development, project
formulation and to promote leadership skills.

Skill Training

Agriculture is the mainstay of the majority of rural people in the TAPWA’s project area
and there are no major industries. A large number of government and private dairy farms
exist in the project location and therefore, for the benefit of these rural people TAPWA is
offering employment skill oriented trainings on rearing of milch animals and goats,
marketing of agricultural produces and alternate local employment trades.

TAPWA is also organizing vocational training on tailoring and embroidery for the
women SHG members in its premises and for this purpose; it has already established a
tailoring center with sewing machines. The skill training is considered as the foremost
important training program among all and the participants become aware of the trades
and take a greater participation in the activities as they offer livelihood opportunities to
them in rural areas.

20
PRODUCTS

The waste from banana plantations in Dindigul district has a new use. They are being
pulped into making hand-made paper.

The enterprise, however, is not being run by an urban businessman, but by a group of rural
women landless agricultural labourers, who have come together to set up the self-help group
(SHG) at Severnakarainapatti village.

Calling their group Jhansi Rani SHG, the rural women raised financial resources for setting
up the paper mill, and are now aiming at making eco-friendly paper and board stationery for
national and international conferences

The initial corpus funding of Rs 1.5 lakh as loan was made by the M.S. Swaminathan
Research Foundation (MSSRF), to the SHG.

Using this money the SHG leveraged loans and grants available under the schemes of the
District Rural Development Authority (DRDA) and public sector banks.

The plant, which is run by the SHG members, can handle around two tones of pulp per day.

The aim is to create niche eco-friendly products from the paper and board, which can be
marketed for the environment conferences. With help from MSSRF, the SHG would try to
reach the products for the high-profile international environmental conferences scheduled for
this year.

Even before getting into full-scale production in the last six months, the SHG has generated
around Rs 50,000 in business, he said.

In the nearby village of Kannivadi, the Poomani Women’s SHG has another eco-enterprise
going with the help of MSSRF. They grow trichogramma insects, which in turn destroy other
insects that are harmful to cotton, sugarcane and vegetable plants.

21
 Trichogramma is an effective, natural pest controller, since it is a parasitoid. It does not lay
its own eggs but lays eggs inside the eggs of other insects. Thus, when the eggs hatch it is
trichogramma larvae that come out rather than the larvae of the pest, American Bollworm
(Helicoverpa armigera).

The idea of the enterprise is to develop trichogramma eggs as a cottage industry. These eggs
are then pasted on card paper strips and hung in the fields. The eggs hatch in the fields.

To get trichogramma eggs under lab conditions (in this case a hut in the village), the insect's
eggs are inoculated into eggs of Corcyra insect.

These eggs hatch in the field and to propagate the next generation adult
trichogramma search and find the eggs of the American bollworm.

The SHG sells cards with one cubic centimeter of eggs at Rs 15, while the production cost
for it is around Rs 6, she said.

Hanging the cards in the fields has shown to reduce the cost for insecticides by 30 per cent.
In a year the SHG generates around 4,000 cc of trichogramma eggs, which in turn gives the
members an income of Rs 60,000.

DHAN Foundation initiated its Kalanjiam Community Banking Programme (KCBP) during
1990, as a pilot project. The programme envisages stabilizing the livelihoods of poor and
empowering the women by providing access and control for micro finance by poor women
through promoting savings and credit groups and forming nested institutions.

The programme has an approach of promoting primary groups of 15 - 20 women in the

village/ slum neighbourhoods popularly called as Kalanjiams, clustering 15 - 20 Kalanjiams
at Panchayat or slum level and federating 200 - 250 Kalanjiams at development block level.
The model is based on value of strong community organizations for better performance.

22
 Each of these organizations is left independent and autonomous and at the same time is
interdependent on each other. The group with a membership of 15 - 20 women from poor
households from the base. The members regularly save and avail credit from the group. The
groups have two additional sources of credit for lending to the members apart from the
savings of the members. The commercial banks and Regional Rural Banks (RRBs) are the
biggest source of credit for these groups.

They also avail credit for special needs such as housing and few other activities from
apex banks and corporations such as Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI),
Housing Development Financial Corporation (HDFC), Housing and Urban Development
Corporation (HUDCO), National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD)
etc. through their federations.

The clusters offer the much needed support in the form of services such as accounting,
auditing, mobilizing resources at the local levels and the leadership across the villages and
for solving conflicts among and access the members. The federations are membership
organization formed by all the Kalanjiams in a development block. These federations are
legally registered entities.

The programme works exclusively with poor women and as on September 2006 it has
reached out to 373,096 poor families. The activities are spread in 155 locations covering
7,204 villages/ slums of 30 backward and drought hit districts of the country. The
programme promoted 23,474 primary groups, 993 Cluster Development Association (CDAs)
and 63 autonomous federations which are owned, controlled and managed by poor women.
In addition to mobilising savings of

Rs.8,639 lakhs by the members, the Programme has mobilised credit of Rs.15,349 lakh from
256 branches of 32 banks. As many as 25 Kalanjiam federations are involved in linkage with
apex financing institution and have mobilized loan of Rs2,982 lakh and on lent to the
member groups.

23
Setwin is an organization started 14 years ago [1990] by one Mr. P.V. Selvam, M.A.
Sociology, in order to uplift the lives of the Dalit people in Nilakottai, Dindigul District,
Tamil Nadu. Initially, the main focus of the programme was to carry out empowerment of
women folk by starting self help groups and a microcredit savings scheme. The funding for
this project was provided by American Jewish World Service. The women's groups are
active in 50 villages in the Nilakottai district.

Asha SV funded Setwin $5450 for the first year(2001-2002), $ 5484 for the second year and
one of the topics for discussion today is the budget for the third year 2004-2005.

The funds covered expenses for NFE associated personnel honorariums, building rental
costs, staff training, educational expenses and administrative costs. The programme had
twofold purposes.

(a)To promote non formal education and thus minimize dropouts. The dropouts range
in age from 10-18 years.

(b) To improve the educational standards of the school going children and thereby
create a literate community.

24
 SALEM SHG’S PROFILE

Empowerment Activities in Salem

Self Help Groups

SHG is group of rural poor who have volunteered to organise themselves into a group for
eradication of poverty of the members. They agree to save regularly and convert their
savings into a Common Fund known as the Group corpus. The members of the group
agree to use this common fund and such other funds that they may receive as a group
through a common management. The group formation will keep in view the following
broad guidelines :

Generally a self-help group may consist of 10 to 20 persons. However, in difficult areas

like deserts, hills and areas with scattered and sparse population and in case of minor
irrigation and disabled persons, this number may be from 5-20. The difficult areas have
to be identified by the State Level SGSY Committee and the above relaxation in
membership will be permitted only in such areas.

Generally all members of the group should belong to families below the poverty line.
However, if necessary, a maximum of 20% and in exceptional cases , where essentially
required, upto a maximum of 30% of the members in a group may be taken from families
marginally above the poverty line living contiguously with BPL families and if they are
acceptable to the BPL members of the group. This will help the families of occupational
groups like agricultural labourers, marginal farmers and artisans marginally above the
poverty line, or who may have been excluded from the BPL list to become members of
the Self Help Group. However,the APL members will not be eligible for the subsidy
under the scheme. The group shall not consist of more than one member from the same
family. A person should not be a member of more than one group. The BPL families
must actively participate in the management and decision making, which should not
ordinarily be entirely in the hands of APL families. Further, APL members of the Self

25
Help Group shall not become office bearers( Group Leader, Assistant Group Leader or
Treasurer )of the Group.

The group should devise a code of conduct (Group management norms) to bind itself.
This should be in the form of regular meetings (weekly or fortnightly), functioning in a
democratic manner, allowing free exchange of views, participation by the members in the
decision making process.

The group should be able to draw up an agenda for each meeting and take up discussions
as per the agenda.

The members should build their corpus through regular savings. The group should be
able to collect the minimum voluntary saving amount from all the members regularly in
the group meetings. The savings so collected will be the group corpus fund.

The group corpus fund should be used to advance loans to the members. The group
should develop financial management norms covering the loan sanction procedure,
repayment schedule and interest rates.

The members in the group meetings should take all the loaning decisions through
aparticipatory decision making process.

The group should be able to prioritise the loan applications, fix repayment schedules, fix
appropriate rate of interest for the loans advanced and closely monitor the repayment of
the loan instalments from the loanee.

The group should operate a group account preferably in their service area bank branch,
so as to deposit the balance amounts left with the groups after disbursing loans to its
members.

The group should maintain simple basic records such as Minutes book, Attendance
register, Loan ledger, General ledger, Cash book, Bank passbook and individual
passbooks. The sample proforma for maintenace of above records by the group is in the

26
 Annexure II for guidance. These could be used with necessary changes/ modifications
wherever required.

50% of the groups formed in each block should be exclusively for the women. In the case
of disabled persons, the groups formed should ideally be disability-specific wherever
possible, however, in case sufficient number of people for formation of disability-
specific groups are not available, a group may comprise of persons with diverse
disabilities or a group may comprise of both disabled and non-disabled persons below the
poverty line.

Formation of New SHG 2005-06

Sl. District No. No. of No. of % of Achievement

No. of New New
TP Groups Groups
to be formed
formed

1 SALEM 33 825 889 108%

27
CHAPTER 4

28
 REVIEW OF LITERATURE
Self Help Groups

NATP project for five years is an attempt to know the constraints faced by
farmwomen SHG members while working with the project and to know the
suggestions given by SHG members for further improvement of the project.

SHG is group of rural poor who have volunteered to organise themselves into a group for
eradication of poverty of the members. They agree to save regularly and convert their savings
into a Common Fund known as the Group corpus. The members of the group agree to use this
common fund and such other funds that they may receive as a group through a common
management. The group formation will keep in view the following broad guidelines :

Generally a self-help group may consist of 10 to 20 persons. However, in difficult areas like
deserts, hills and areas with scattered and sparse population and in case of minor irrigation and
disabled persons, this number may be from 5-20. The difficult areas have to be identified by the
State Level SGSY Committee and the above relaxation in membership will be permitted only in
such areas.

Generally all members of the group should belong to families below the poverty line. However,
if necessary, a maximum of 20% and in exceptional cases , where essentially required, upto a
maximum of 30% of the members in a group may be taken from families marginally above the
poverty line living contiguously with BPL families and if they are acceptable to the BPL
members of the group. This will help the families of occupational groups like agricultural
labourers, marginal farmers and artisans marginally above the poverty line, or who may have
been excluded from the BPL list to become members of the Self Help Group. A person should
not be a member of more than one group. The BPL families must actively participate in the
management and decision making, which should not ordinarily be entirely in the hands of APL
families.

29
The group should devise a code of conduct (Group management norms) to bind itself. This
should be in the form of regular meetings (weekly or fortnightly), functioning in a democratic
manner, allowing free exchange of views, participation by the members in the decision making
process.

The group should be able to draw up an agenda for each meeting and take up discussions as per
the agenda.

The group should be able to collect the minimum voluntary saving amount from all the
members regularly in the group meetings. The savings so collected will be the group corpus
fund which should be used to advance loans to the members.

The group should maintain simple basic records such as Minutes book, Attendance register,
Loan ledger, General ledger, Cash book, Bank passbook and individual passbooks.

30
CHAPTER 5

31
 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY:

NEED FOR THE STUDY

SHG is a group formed by the community women, which has specific number of members like
15 or 20. In such a group the poorest women would come together for emergency, disaster,
social reasons, economic support to each other have ease of conversation, social interaction
and economic interactions.

• To sensitize women of target area for the need of SHG and its relevance in their
empowerment process.
• To create group feeling among women.
• To enhance the confidence and capabilities of women.
• To develop collective decision making among women.
• To encourage habit of saving among women and facilitate the accumulation of their own
capital resource base.
• To motivate women taking up social responsibilities particularly related to women
development.

In India, Self Help Groups or SHGs represent a unique approach to financial

intermediation. The approach combines access to low-cost financial services with a process of
self management and development for the women who are SHG members. SHGs are formed
and supported usually by NGOs or (increasingly) by Government agencies.

Linked not only to banks but also to wider development programmes, SHGs are seen to
confer many benefits, both economic and social. SHGs enable women to grow their savings and
to access the credit which banks are increasingly willing to lend. SHGs can also be
community platforms from which women become active in village affairs, stand for local election
or take action to address social or community issues (the abuse of women, alcohol, the dowry
system, schools, water supply).

There are apparent synergies between SHGs and local politics since through membership
of SHGs, or SHG clusters and federations, village women can gain experience of relevant
32
processes (regular meetings, taking decisions, allocating money). They also become more
‘visible’ in the village, which is important for campaigning.

SHGs are uniquely placed to support their members on issues of social justice affecting
women. Nevertheless, we did not find that SHGs are dealing regularly with issues of social
justice.

Hence it is very important to study the social, economical & political empowerment of
SHGs to get an overall understanding about the condition of SHGs, their contribution to the
society by improving the condition of women and ways for further improvement.

SCOPE OF THE STUDY

The scopes of the study are as follows:

• The study will help us understand the present social, economical & political status of
members from different SHGs.

• The study will help us analyze the attitude of the members towards the SHGs to which
they belong.

• The study will throw light on the improvement in the condition of the members of the
SHGs.

• The study will give us clear understanding about the activities and the systematic
process followed by SHGs which improves the skills & earning capacity of their
members.

• The study will help us to learn the contribution of the SHGs to the society by empowering
the rural community and majorly the rural women.

Research Design
33
 Our objective is to study the social, economical & political empowerment of SHGs from
which their current status can be analyzed, their improvement from the past can be learned and
ways of improving their present status can be found.

Sampling Method

Convenience sampling method has been used because the selection of units from the
population has been done based on easy availability or accessibility. The Survey has been
conducted among SHGs from different districts.

Sampling Area

The chosen research areas are SHGs from Pondicherry, Dindigul & Salem districts which
undertake different activities.

Sample Size

The sample size is 30 with majority of women SHGs followed by mixed gender SHGs.

Data Collection

Primary Data

34
 The first step is to gather information from the SHGs. This was done by visiting the
SHGs. Then a Questionnaire was prepared to gather data from the sample population.

Secondary Data

Sources of secondary data include Journals, Websites, etc. All this helped in
authenticating the kind of information obtained from our primary sources and thus helped to get
a very objective view of the study.

DATA ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION

DATA ANALYSIS

Data analysis is the act of transforming data with the aim of extracting useful information and
facilitating conclusions. Depending on the type of data and the question, this might include
application of Statistics/statistical methods, curve fitting, selecting or discarding certain subsets
based on specific criterion/criteria, or other techniques.

In respect to Data mining, data analysis is usually more narrowly intended as not aiming to the
discovery of unforeseen patterns hidden in the data, but to the verification or disproval of an
existing model, or to the extraction of parameters necessary to adapt a theoretical model to
(experimental) reality.

This is a process of systematically applying statistical and logical techniques to describe,

summarize and compare data. It is organizing and examining the collected data using
narratives, charts, graphs or tables. It is the processing of information or data that has been
gathered in order to draw conclusions. This is the stage in the research process which assesses
secondary and/or primary data and relates it to the defined issue or problem.

35
The term analysis refers to the computation of certain measures along with searching for pattern
of relationship that exist among data groups. Thus, in the process of analysis, relationship, or
difference supporting or conflicting with the original or new hypothesis should be subjected to
statistical tests of significance to determine with which validity data can be said to indicate any
conclusions.

INTERPRETATION

Interpretation refers to the task of drawing inferences from the collected facts after an analytical
and/or experimental study. In fact, it is a search for broader meaning of research findings. The
task of interpretation has two major aspects viz., (i) the effort to establish continuity in research
through linking the results of a given study with those of another and (ii) the establishment of
some explanatory concepts. It is essential for the simple reason that the usefulness and utility of
research findings lie in proper interpretation.

STATISTICAL ANALYSIS

Statistics is a Mathematics/mathematical science pertaining to the collection, analysis,

interpretation or explanation, and presentation of data. It is applicable to a wide variety of
academic disciplines, from the physical and social sciences to the humanities. Statistics are also
used for making informed decisions.

Statistical methods can be used to summarize or describe a collection of data; this is called
descriptive statistics. In addition, patterns in the data may be mathematical model/modeled in a
way that accounts for randomness and uncertainty in the observations, and then used to draw
inferences about the process or population being studied; this is called [inferential statistics.
Both descriptive and inferential statistics comprise ''applied statistics''. There is also a discipline
called mathematical statistics, which is concerned with the theoretical basis of the subject.

Statistical Tools

The Statistical tools used here is:

a. Percentage Analysis
b. Chi-squared tests
c. Weighted Average Method

36
a. Percentage Analysis

Percentages are a measure of central tendency percentages are often used in data
presentation. The data are reduced into the standard form with the base equal to 100, which in
fact facilitates relative comparison.

b. Chi-squared tests

This test is used to determine if categorical data shows dependency or whether the two
classifications are independent. As a test of independence Chi-squared enables to explain
whether or not two attributes are associated. The formula is as follows:

Chi-squared test = ∑ (O-E) ^ 2

Where,

O = Observed frequency,

E = Expected frequency.

Null Hypothesis: Two attributes are independent

Alternate Hypothesis: Two attributes are not independent.

c. Weighted Average method

Weighted average is used when the relative importance of the items is not the same.
Different weights are assigned to different and calculation is made. The weights assigned may
be actual, or arbitrary.

37
Weighted average = ∑ WiDi

∑ Wi

38
CHAPTER
6

39
 DATA ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION

GENERAL INFORMATION

TABLE 1.1

Table showing the type of SHGs

TYPE NO. OF RESPONDENTS PERCENTAGE

Male 0 0%
Female 25 83%
Mixed 5 17%
Total 30

INTERPRETATION:

Majority of the respondents are female self help groups.

CHART 1.1

TABLE 1.2

40
 Table showing the organisation that promote SHGs

NO. OF
RESPONDE PERCENT
ORGANISATION NTS AGE

Bank/any other financial 0 0%

Institution

NGO 20 67%

GOVT.DEPT 7 23%

cooperative society 2 7%

self 0 0%

Other 1 3%

Total 30

INTERPRETATION:

Majority of the respondents are female self help groups.

CHART 1.2

TABLE 1.3

41
 Table showing if the SHGs are registered

NO. OF
RESPONDE PERCENTA
NTS GE
Yes 25 83%
NO 5 17%
Total 30

INFERENCE:

Majority of the SHGs are registered.

CHART 1.3

TABLE 1.4
42
 Table showing the act under which the SHGs are registered

NO. OF PERCENTA
RESPONDE GE
REGISTRATION ACT NTS
Registration of Societies Act 12 48
1860
Cooperative Societies Act 1955 4 16
Indian Trust Act 1882 8 32
Companies Act 1956 0 0
Other 1 4
Total 25

INTERPRETATION:

Most of the SHGs are registered under the Registration of Societies Act 1860 followed by the
Indian Trust Act 1882.

CHART 1.4

TABLE 1.5

43
 Table showing the affiliation of SHGs

NO. OF
RESPONDE PERCENT
AFFILIATION NTS AGE
Cooperative Society 3 10%
NGO/NBFC(Non Banking financial 23 77%
Institution)
SHG Federation 4 13%
TOTAL 30

INTERPRETATION:

Majority of the SHGs are affiliated to NGO/NBFC(Non Banking financial Institution).

CHART 1.5

DETAILS ON SHG MEETINGS

44
 TABLE 1.6

Table showing the frequency of meetings of the SHGs

NO. OF
RESPONDE PERCENTA
FREQUENCY NTS GE
Monthly 8 27%
Weekly 15 50%
Forthnightly 7 23%
Total 30

INTERPRETATION:

Most of the SHGs conduct weekly meetings.

CHART 1.6

45
 FINANCIAL INFORMATION OF SHG

TABLE 1.7

Table showing the frequency of savings

FREQUENCY OF SAVINGS NO. OF

RESPONDE PERCENTA
NTS GE
Monthly 16 53%
Weekly 12 40%
Forthnightly 2 7%
Total 30

INTERPRETATION:

Most of the SHGs have monthly savings plan.

CHART 1. 7

46
 TABLE 1. 8

Table showing if members have extra savings

NO. OF
EXTRA RESPONDE PERCENTA
SAVINGS NTS GE
Yes 12 41%
No 17 59%
Total 30

INTERPRETATION:

Most of the respondents do not have extra savings.

CHART 1.8

47
 MEMBER DETAILS

TABLE 1.9

Table showing the educational qualification of the members

EDUCATION No. OF RESPONDENTS PERCENTAGE

Below 5th std 84 28%
5th to 10th 107 30%
10th to 12th 90 36%
Other 19 6%
Total 300

INTERPRETATION:

Most of the respondents have studied only between fifth to tenth standard.

CHART 1.9

48
 TABLE 1.10

Table showing the economic status of the members of the SHGs

INCOME No. OF PERCENTAGE

RESPONDENTS
< 2000 28 9%
2000 - 3000 114 38%
3000 - 4000 127 43%
4000 - 5000 21 7%
> 5000 10 3%
Total 300

INTERPRETATION:

Most of the SHG members have income from Rs.3000 to Rs.4000.

CHART 1.10

49
 TRAINING DETAILS

TABLE 1.11

Table showing the training details of the SHGs

TRAINING NO. OF RESPONDENTS PERCENTAGE

YES 21 70%
NO 9 30%
Total 30

INTERPRETATION:

Majority of the SHGs have undergone training.

CHART 1.11

50
 TABLE 1.12

Table showing the organiser details of the training programme

ORGANISER NO. OF RESPONDENTS PERCENTAGE

Bank 17 57%
NGO 9 30%
Others 4 13%
Total 30

INTERPRETATION:

Most of the training programmes are conducted by banks.

CHART 1.12

51
 SCHEME PARTICULARS

TABLE 1.13

Table showing the source of information to the SHGs

SOURCE NO.OF PERCENTA

RESPONDEN GE
TS
Through local dailies/TV/AIR 4 13%
Through Extension Officers 0 0%
Gramsabha 17 57%
Intermediate Panchayat/Block 17 57%
Gram Panchayat/Lowest elected body 11 37%
DRDA/Zilla Parishad 1 3%
Other SHG members 27 90%
Friends/Neighbours/Public figures/ Members of 29 97%
local bodies
Other 0 0%
TOTAL 106

INTERPRETATION:

Majority of the SHGs got information through Friends/Neighbours/Public figures/ Members of

local bodies

CHART 1.13

52
TABLE 1.14

53
 Table showing the usage of revolving fund

USAGE NO.OF PERCENTAGE

RESPONDENTS
Purchase of raw 18 43%
materials/equipments
To aid 6 14%
marketing/infrastructure
support for
Urgent loans to individual 18 43%
members,
Other 0 0%
TOTAL

INTERPRETATION:

Most of the SHGs use the revolving funt to purchase raw materials or equipments.

CHART 14

54
 GROUP MANAGEMENT

TABLE 1.15

Table showing the problems faced by SHGs in group management

PROBLEM NO.OF PERCENTAG

RESPONDENT E
S
Differences among members 9 30%
Difficulties in earning the amount for repayment of 8 27%
loan
Operational difficulties of the enterprise (including 0 6%
difficulties in marketing),
Delay in getting the loan amount from the bank 8 27%
Non cooperation of officials/bank, 0 3%
Other 2 7%
TOTAL 30

INTERPRETATION:

Most of the groups face problems in Difficulties in earning the amount for repayment of loan and
Delay in getting the loan amount from the bank.

55
CHART 1.15

56
 TABLE 1.16

Table showing the impact of the SHG activities

IMPACT NO.OF RESPONDENTS PERCENTAGE

A greater desire for self employment 19 15%
Bring women together to work in groups 22 18%
Increase in income 25 20%
Increase in savings 24 20%
Better health & educational facilities 18 15%
Improved social prestige, 15 12%
Other 0 0%
Total 123

INTERPRETATION:

The SHG activities has impacted mostly in increased income and savings.

57
 CHART 1.16

SOCIAL EMPOWERMENT

TABLE 1.17

Table showing the responses for freely and frankly speaking in SHG meetings
58
DEGREE NO.OF RESPONDENTS PERCENTAGE
VERY HIGH 12 40%
HIGH 13 43%
LOW 5 17%
VERY LOW 0 0%
TOTAL 30

INTERPRETATION:

Most of the SHGs are able speak freely and fairly to a high degree.

CHART 1.17

TABLE 1.18

Table showing the responses for teaching or training others

DEGREE NO.OF RESPONDENTS PERCENTAGE

VERY HIGH 8 27%

59
 HIGH 14 46%
LOW 6 20%
VERY LOW 2 7%
TOTAL 30

INTERPRETATION:

Most of the SHGs are able to teach or train others to a high degree.

CHART 1.18

TABLE 1.19

Table showing the responses for speaking in public meetings

DEGREE NO.OF RESPONDENTS PERCENTAGE

VERY HIGH 8 27%

60
HIGH 14 47%
LOW 6 20%
VERY LOW 2 7%
TOTAL 30

INTERPRETATION:

Most of the SHGs are able to speak to a high degree in public meetings.

CHART 1.19

TABLE 1.20

Table showing the responses for presenting cultural programmes in public

DEGREE NO.OF RESPONDENTS PERCENTAGE

VERY HIGH 5 17%
61
 HIGH 10 33%
LOW 10 33%
VERY LOW 5 17%
TOTAL 30

INTERPRETATION:

There is an equal level of high and low degree response for presenting cultural programmes in
public.

CHART 1.20

TABLE 1.21

Table showing the responses for taking leadership positions in SHG

DEGREE NO.OF RESPONDENTS PERCENTAGE

62
 VERY HIGH 18 60%
HIGH 8 27%
LOW 1 3%
VERY LOW 3 10%
TOTAL 30

INTERPRETATION:

Most of the SHGs are able to take leadership positions in SHG to a very high degree.

CHART 1.21

TABLE 1.22

Table showing the responses for writing minute of SHG meetings

DEGREE NO.OF RESPONDENTS PERCENTAGE

VERY HIGH 1 3%
HIGH 14 47%

63
 LOW 11 37%
VERY LOW 4 13%
TOTAL 30

INTERPRETATION:

Most of the SHGs are able to write SHG minutes to a high degree.

CHART 1.22

TABLE 1.23

Table showing the responses for keeping of SHG accounts

DEGREE NO.OF RESPONDENTS PERCENTAGE

VERY HIGH 20 69%
HIGH 8 28%

64
 LOW 1 3%
VERY LOW 0 0%
TOTAL 30

INTERPRETATION:

Most of the SHGs are able to keep accounts to a very high degree.

CHART 1.23

TABLE 24

Table showing the responses for performing bank transactions

DEGREE NO.OF RESPONDENTS PERCENTAGE

VERY HIGH 18 62%
HIGH 7 24%
65
 LOW 4 14%
VERY LOW 0 0%
TOTAL 30

INTERPRETATION:

Most of the SHGs are able to perform bank transactions to a very high degree.

CHART 1.24

TABLE 1.25

Table showing the responses for going to government office or police station

DEGREE NO.OF RESPONDENTS PERCENTAGE

VERY HIGH 6 20%
HIGH 11 37%
66
 LOW 9 30%
VERY LOW 4 13%
TOTAL 30

INTERPRETATION:

Most of the SHGs are able to go to government office or police station to a high degree.

CHART 1.25

TABLE 1.26

Table showing the responses for talking to government officials or police

DEGREE NO.OF RESPONDENTS PERCENTAGE

VERY HIGH 1 3%
HIGH 14 48%
LOW 9 31%

67
 VERY LOW 5 17%
TOTAL 30

INTERPRETATION:

Most of the SHGs are able to talk to government officials or policeto a high degree.

CHART 1.26

ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT
TABLE 1.27

Table showing the responses for Own savings account with monthly savings

SAVINS ACCOUNT NO.OF PERCENTAGE

RESPONDENTS
YES 13 43

68
 NO 17 57

TOTAL 30

INTERPRETATION:

Most of the SHG members did not have own savings account with monthly savings before
joining the SHG

CHART 1.27

TABLE 1.28

Table showing the responses for Continuing the savings account even if SHG ceases to exist

SAVINS ACCOUNT NO.OF PERCENTAGE

RESPONDENTS
YES 24 80

NO 6 20

69
 TOTAL 30

INTERPRETATION:

Majority of the respondents would continue the savings account even if SHG ceases to exist

CHART 1.28

TABLE: 1.29

Table showing responses on taken loans from money lenders before joining the
SHG?

S.NO OPTIONS RESPONSE PERCENTAGE

70
 1 YES 23 76%
2 NO 7 24%
TOTAL 30 100

CHART: 1.29

Interpretation: 76 % of the respondents says that they have taken loan from the lender
before joining SHG

TABLE: 1.30

Table showing responses on availing loans from money lenders even after joining SHG

S.NO OPTIONS RESPONSE PERCENTAGE

1 Yes 12 40%

2 No 18 60%

71
 TOTAL 30 100

CHART: 1.30

Interpretation: 60% of the respondents say that they didn’t taking loan from the money
lender after joining the SHG

POLITICAL EMPOWERMENT

TABLE 1.31

Table showing response for Competed in Panchayat or Municipal elections

CONTESTED NO.OF PERCENTAGE

RESPONDENTS

72
 YES 4 13

NO 26 87

TOTAL 30

INTERPRETATION:

Majority of the respondents have not Competed in Panchayat or Municipal elections

CHART 1.31

TABLE 1.32

Table showing result of the election

RESULT NO.OF PERCENTAGE

RESPONDENTS
WON 1 25

LOST 3 75

TOTAL 4

73
INTERPRETATION:

Majority of the respondents have lost in the Panchayat or Municipal elections.

CHART 1.32

TABLE 1.33

Table showing responses on Active participant of any political party

PARTICIPANT NO.OF PERCENTAGE

RESPONDENTS
YES 1 3

NO 29 97

TOTAL 30

74
INTERPRETATION:

Majority of the respondents are not Active participants of any political party

CHART 1.33

STATISTICAL TOOLS:
I. WEIGHTED AVERAGE METHOD:

After becoming a member of the SHG, how much change has occurred in you
regarding the following skills/ abilities?

v.high high low v.low TOTAL RANK

SOURCES (4) (3) (2) (1)

75
 Freely and frankly speaking 12*4 13*3 5*2 0*1 97 3

Teaching / Training someone 9*4 12*3 7*2 2*1 88 4.5

else

Speaking during public 8*4 14*3 6*2 2*1 88 4.5

meetings

Presenting cultural 5*4 10*3 10* 5*1 75 7

programme in public meetings 2

Taking up leadership positions 18*4 8*3 1*2 3*1 101 2.5

in the SHG

Writing minutes of SHG 1*4 14*3 11* 4*1 72 8

meetings 2

Keeping of the accounts of 20*4 8*3 1*2 0*1 66 10

SHG

Performing bank transactions 18*4 7*3 4*2 0*1 101 2.5

Going to government office / 6*4 11*3 9*2 4*1 79 6

police station

Talking to government officials 1*4 14*3 9*2 5*1 69 9

/ police

CALCULATION:

• 12(4) + 13(3) + 5(2) + 0(1) / 30 = 3.233

76
 • 9(4) + 12(3) + 7(2) + 2(1) / 30 = 2.933
• 8(4) + 14(3) + 6(2) + 2(1) / 30 = 2.933
• 5(4) + 10(3) + 10(2) + 5(1) / 30 = 2.5
• 18(4) + 8(3) + 1(2) + 3(1) / 30 = 3.367
• 1(4) + 14(3) + 11(2) + 4(1) / 30 = 2.4
• 20(4) + 8(3) + 1(2) + 0(1) / 30 = 2.2
• 18(4) + 7(3) + 4(2) + 0(1) / 30 = 3.367
• 6(4) + 11(3) + 9(2) + 4(1) / 30 = 2.633
• 1(4) + 14(3) + 9(2) + 5(1) / 30 = 2.3

INTERPERTATION:
Majority of the respondents Ranked Taking up leadership positions in the SHG and
Performing bank transactions, which ranked as third best is Freely and frankly speaking,
followed by Teaching / Training someone else and Speaking during public meetings at fourth
followed by Going to government office / police station, Presenting cultural programme in
public meetings, Writing minutes of SHG meetings, Talking to government officials / police,
Keeping of the accounts of SHG
II .CHI SQUARE:
1. *NULL HYHPOTHESIS: Getting the loan from money lender is
reduced after joining the SHG

“O” – observed frequencies

“E” – expected frequencies

77
 Particulars After joining SHG

Before joining Have taken loan Have not taken loan

SHG from money lender from money lender
Have taken loan 10 13 23
from money lender
Have not taken loan 3 4 7
from money lender
13 17 30

O E O-E (O-E)2 (O-E)2/E

11 13 1 1 .033
2 3 -1 1 .033
12 13 -1 1 .033
5 4 -1 1 .033
X2 = .132

= .132

V= (R-1)(C-1) = (2-1)(2-1) = 1

V= 1 x2 0.05= 3.384

INTREPRETATION: For, the calculated value of X2 is lesser than the table value. The Ho is
accepted. Hence, getting loan from money lender is reduced after joining the SHG

78
CHAPTER 7

79
 FINDINGS

 Majority of the respondents are female self help groups.

 Majority are NGO promoted shgs and they are registered.

 Most of the SHGs are registered under the Registration of Societies Act 1860 followed by
the Indian Trust Act 1882.

 Majority of the SHGs are affiliated to NGO/NBFC(Non Banking financial Institution).

 Most of the SHGs have monthly savings plan.

 It is found that most of the SHG members have income from Rs.3000 to Rs.4000.

 Most of the training programmes are conducted by banks.

 Majority of the SHGs got information through Friends/Neighbours/Public figures/

Members of local bodies

 Most of the groups face problems in Difficulties in earning the amount for repayment of
loan and Delay in getting the loan amount from the bank.

 Most of the SHGs are able speak freely and fairly to a high degree.

 It is found that most of the SHGs are able to take leadership positions in SHG to a very
high degree.

 Most of the SHGs are able to write SHG minutes and perform bank transactions to a very
high degree.

 Most of the SHGs are able to talk to government officials or police to a high degree.

 Most of the SHG members did not have own savings account before joining the SHG

 Majority of the respondents have not Competed in Panchayat or Municipal elections

 It is found that majority of the respondents have lost in the Panchayat or Municipal
elections.

 Majority of the respondents are not Active participants of any political party

 Most of the respondents say that they didn’t taking loan from the money lender after
joining the SHG

80
CHAPTER
8

81
 CONCLUSION

Our rural women are not given opportunities to show their talents. Thus SHGs
have come to break this fact. Women are able to form a group and enhance their economic
conditions and their social status. Now women are able to be confident and brave enough to face
the challenges. Shgs have improved their savings habit, skills, etc. Therefore growth of SHGs
should be encouraged and make the rural people improve their standard.

Empowerment by itself may not place women on an equal footing with men. The
greatest need of the hour is change of social attitude to women. Take the classic case of dowry.
Women’s empowerment means a lot, but the ultimate goal of the equalization of man and
woman would materialize only when her complementary role is recognized by the society.

82
 BIBLIOGRAPHY
Books:

Research methodology, Kothari

Statistical Methods, S.P.Gupta

Web links:

http://smilefoundationindia.org/ourprojects.htm

http://www.google.co.in/#hl=en&source=hp&q=questionnaire+for+commuinty+im
provement+&meta=&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&oq=&gs_rfai=&fp=72f72282e64b709

http://www.google.co.in/#hl=en&ei=cM6lS5-
WF8OzrAeX3uzBCA&sa=X&oi=spell&resnum=0&ct=result&cd=1&ved=0CAgQBSgA
&q=questionnaire+on+empowerment+of+shg&spell=1&fp=72f72282e64b709

http://www.prabhaiasips.com/essaymodel.html

83
 ANNEXURE
BEFORE PILOT STUDY

IDENTIFICATION OF MARKETING
PROBLEMS FACED BY COMMUNITY
IMPROVEMENT GROUPS
QUESTIONNAIRE

I. GENERAL SHG PROFILE

1.Name of SHG: ____________________________________

2.Address________________________ village__________Block ________

Phone No.______________

3. Type of group

Male/Female /Mixed

4. Date of SHG formation.

Date____ Month_______ Year_______

5. Name the organization, which promoted the SHG (tick relevant box)

Bank/any other financial Institution

NGO

Govt. Department

Cooperative Society

Self

Any other (specify)

84
6. Whether SHG is also registered under any other legal provisions:

Yes

No

If ‘Yes’ tick the relevant Act under which the SHG is registered

Registration of Societies Act 1860

Registration No_________

Cooperative Societies Act 1955

Registration No_________

Indian Trust Act 1882

Registration No_______

Companies Act 1956

Registration No___________

7. Whether the SHG is affiliated to the following (Tick any of the following)

Cooperative Society

NGO/NBFC*

SHG Federation

( *NFBC: Non Banking financial Institution)

8. Details of SHG Bank Account:

Bank A/c No______________

Name of Bank___________________ Address___________________

85
 II. OBJECTIVE /GENEALOGY/ VISION/ MISSION / OF THE SHG

1.OBJECTIVES OF SHG

State the reasons as to why the group was formed

______________________________________________

_______________________________________________

2. VISION /MISSION GOALS of SHG

i)________________________________________________________

ii)_______________________________________________________

III. MEMBERSHIP DETAILS:

Members details

1.Name of Members
2.Gender Age
�Male
�Female
3. Marital Status
� Married
� Unmarried

4.Educational Status
Below 5th std
5th to 10th
10th to 12th
5.Skills available

86
6.Occupational Status*
� Agriculture
� Non Agriculture
� Other occupation
� No occupation

7.No of children
1
2
3

8.Economic Status of members

<2000
2000 – 3000
3000 – 4000
4000 – 5000
>5000

IV. DETAILS OF SHG MEETINGS

1. Indicate frequency of meetings of SHG

Monthly

Weekly

Forthnightly

2. Indicate the total no of meetings held since inception

__________________ nos

87
 V. FINANCIAL INFORMATION of SHG

1. Savings: Indicate the regularity of savings

No. Frequency of Regular Savings Tick relevant

1 Monthly
2 Weekly
3 fortnightly

2. Are the group members also making Extra saving

Yes

No

3. Indicate the amount of saving by members

Amount of Saving per month/per member Rs ……………

4. Do members save in non cash form

Yes

No

If ‘Yes’ indicate the types/items of non cash forms of savings

Indicate the sources of funds of the SHG and the amount received

Sl No Sources of funds Name of Orgn/Bank Purpose of grant/loan Total Amount Subsidy/Grant Loan Interestrate % Repaid

88
 1 Thrift/Savings - -

2 Revolving Fund.

3 Bank Loan

4 External Funding

5 NGO support

6 Govt. Agency

7 Any others

8 Interest charged on

On loans from

SHG to members

VI.LOAN AND CREDIT DISBURSEMENT AND REPAYMENT IN SHG

Loans details in SHG

Sl No Particulars Numbers

1 No of members who have taken loan

2 No of members who have taken loans more than once

3 Number of non SHG persons who received loans

4 Total no of loans

5 No of loans taken by members

6 No of loans taken by representatives

Credit Utilization and repayment

Sl No Loan Category Amt(Rs) No of members Repayment status Rate of Interest Consumption Loans

1 Consumption (Domestic)

89
2 Emergencies

Farm Sector

3 Agriculture

4 Animal Husbandry

Non-Farm Sector

5 Income Generation

activity

6 Asset

Building/Investment

7 Any other

VII.BOOK-KEEPING AND DOCUMENTATION

1. Indicate whether the SHG are maintaining the following books and ledgers

90
Sl No Names of the books /Ledgers Yes No

1 Admission Book

2 Minutes Book

3 Attendance register

4 Cash book

5 General ledger

6 Savings ledger

7 Loan Ledger

8 Bank pass Book

9 Individual Pass book

10 Receipt Vouchers

11 Stock book

12 Any other (specify)

2. Has the audit of the SHG been done

Yes

No

VIII.TRAINING

1. Indicate the details of trainings of the members of the SHG

91
Sl No Name of Trainings Duration Dates No of SHG Members

IX.CREDIT PLUS ACTIVITIES

1. What types of intervention/social action programmes/activities/awareness

taken up by SHG are:

92
Sl No Types of programme Yes No

1 Health

2 Immunization

3 Education

4 ICDS/Nutrition/Anganwadi

5 Adolescent programme

6 Non formal Education

7 T.L.C

8 Water and Sanitation programme

9 Any others (Specify)

X. GROUP DYNAMICS, CAPACITY, COMMUNICATION AND

INTERACTIONS (ASSETS-LINKAGE-COVERGENCE-etc)

1. Self-Help and Social Capital:

Sl No Details Yes No Type of activity

93
1 Does SHG have any contingency arrangement for

meeting any difficult/unforeseen circumstances

within the group and for its activities

2 Has any member or section of your community other

than members of your SHG ever approach SHG for

help

3 Has SHG organized any activity in village(s)

4 Has any new employment activity been made

available to the SHG members

2. Has SHG group met any of the following to address group or community

Problem

YES NO

Official of the State/ District/block level

Political leader

NGO

SHPI/Federation

Banks

Any other relevant organization (pl specify with details)

LINKAGE-CONVERGENCE
3. Please provide details of institutions to which your SHGs has established
linkage.
Sl No Name of the organization Yes No Specify details

A Monetary Institutions

1 Banks
94
2 Non-banking/financial

institutions

3 Chit funds

4 International Funding Agencies

B Line Department/Sectoral Department

Health Department

2 Agriculture Department

3 Animal Husbandry Department

4 Education Department

5 Social Welfare Department

6 Soil & Water Conservation

7 Cooperation Department

8 Forestry Department

9 Community and Rural

Development department

10 NGO

11 Any other (Specify

4. Has the SHG taken initiative to have a federation of SHG;

Yes

No

If yes give details.

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

95
 XI. PERCEPTION OF SHG’s

A) Regarding selected activities

1. Are the physical & human resources required for the selected activity is available in the

village?

Yes

No

2. Is there any member in your SHG having following quality;

A. leadership

B. micro planning

C. documentation

D. critical decision making processes

3. Is there any ready made market available for your product/selected activity at;

YES NO

A. Local level

B. Regional level

C. National level

4. Is there any linkages identified with marketing agencies/cooperative bodies?

96
 Yes

No

5. Is there any training agency identified for the activity?

Yes

No

If yes, Name of the Training Agency _______________________

6. Is there any training programme identified for the selected activity?

YES NO

Existing marketing potential and linkages

Product development & marketing linkages

XII. ROLE OF SHG’s IN IDENTIFICATION OF ACTIVITIES

1. Does your SHG helped SGSY committee in the identification of activity?

Yes

No

If yes, Are they (SHG) provided information regarding

A. Existing knowledge and skill base of the persons residing in the cluster/village?

B. Existing level of resources/raw material in the villages

C. local, regional and national marketing potential

D. In all three mentioned above

97
 XIII. CAPACITY/SKILLS EXISTING WITH THE BENEFICIARIES

1. Does the existing group members are able to strengthen the organization's ability to perform

specific functions

Yes

No

2. Is the SHG enables and stimulates their members for;

Better interaction, communication
A. Conflict resolution in society, and

B. Enhancing social capital

C. Agriculture and Related Activities Livestock, Forestry, etc.

D. Mining and Quarrying

E. Household Industry

F. Other Industry

G. Construction

H. Trade and Commerce

I. Transport, Communication, etc.

98
 J. Service

K. Others (Specify)

XIV. TRAINING IMPARTED

1. Did the members in your SHG undergo any skill development training?

Yes

No

Not applicable

If yes, what type of skill development training programme organised?

Technical skill

Management skill

Not Applicable

2. In case of Technical skill development programme who was the organiser?

Line departments

NGO

Others

3. In case of managerial skill development programme who was the organiser?

Bankers

NGO

Others

99
 XV. MARKETING SUPPORT PROVIDED

1. Does the DRDA/Administration provide any marketing support to the group?

Yes

No

Not applicable

If yes, what kind of support is provided by the DRDA?

1. Act as a facilitator and tie-up groups with local & outside

market

2. Organised Sale out let Through participating in various

Exhibitions

3. Institutional selling

4. Others

XVI. SCHEME PARTICULARS

1. How did the members in your SHG come to know about the scheme?

• Through local dailies/TV/AIR

100
 • Through Extension Officers

• Gramsabha,

• Intermediate Panchayat/Block

• Gram Panchayat/Lowest elected body

• DRDA/Zilla Parishad,

• Other SHG members

• Friends/Neighbours/Public figures/ Members of local bodies

• Others

2. When did you open the account in the bank? Month: _________, Year : _________

3. Where is the application form for loan submitted?

• Gram sabha

• BDO’s office

• Bank

• DRDA

Any other Have the SHG invested in on-farm activities?

Yes

No

If ‘Yes’, (a) The facilities created/improved Particulars Approx. cost (Rs.)

Open wells

Bore/tube wells

101
 Lift irrigation

Check dams

Pump sets

Other lifting devices

Others (specify)

If ‘No’, type of activity your SHG is involved in

Buffalo rearing

Poultry

Piggery

Tools for Handloom or handicrafts,

Tools for Carpentry/ black smithy and other vocations

Open a shop

Others

S.No Documents Code Yes No

1 Minutes Book 5 Bank Passbook

2 Attendance Register 6 Individual Passbook

3 Loan Ledger 7 Repayment Particulars

4 Cash Book

4. Did the BDO/bank officials visit the members in your SHG and explain about the
opportunities for selfemployment?
S.NO OFFICIALS YES NO
1 BDO
2 Bank
102
5.What is the frequency of meetings of members in your SHG?
1 .Weekly,
2. Fortnightly,
3. Monthly,
At irregular intervals,
No meetings.
6.Do the members participate in the decision-making process?
Yes,
No
7. Are there thrift and credit activities in your SHG?
Yes,
No
8. How much do they deposit in SHG on monthly basis? Rs. ______
9. Has the group developed financial management norms covering loans, sanction
procedure, repayment schedule, interest rates, etc.?
 Yes,
 No
10. Has revolving fund been provided to your SHG?
 Yes,
 No
If ‘Yes’,
when : Month: ____________Year: __________
Amount received Rs._____________
11. How was the revolving fund used?
Purchase of raw materials/equipments, 
To aid marketing/infrastructure support for
income generating activities, 
Urgent loans to individual members, 
Any other (Specify)________

103
12. Did the members in your SHG undergo any skill development training?
 Yes,
 No,
 Not Applicable

13. When did your SHG (after its formation) apply for the loan/subsidy of the scheme?
Did not apply till date, 
In the first three months, 
Between 4-6 months, 
Between 7-8 months, 
Between 8-12 months, 
After one year 
14. Did your SHG receive loan under SGSY from bank/financial institutions?
 Yes,
 No
If ‘Yes’,
When : Month: __________, Year: ___________
 How much amount has your SHG repaid? Rs._________
 What is the loan repayment due till now? Rs_________
 What is your SHG’s lock in period?
Three years, 
Four years, 
Five years, 
Others (specify) _____
Voluntary Operation in Community Planning Commission
and Environment (VOICE) Government of India
104
15. Did your SHG find any difficulty in getting the loan? (Use Code)
 Yes,
 No
If ‘Yes’ explain the type of difficulty
Indifferent attitude of Officials, 
Demand for bribe, 
Difficulty in providing collateral security, 
Difficulty in providing required documents, 
Others specify _____________________

16. Was any commission or bribe paid in availing the benefit?

 Yes,
 No
If ‘Yes’, specify the amount Rs._________
17. How long have your SHG taken to acquire the asset after release of loan amount from the
bank?
In the first month, 
In the second month, 
In the third month, 
In the fourth month, 
After four months, 
Not Applicable 
18. Did the line depts./DRDA/bank check/verify & mark the assets created/ purchased?
 Yes,
 No,
Not Applicable
19. Whether the assets created/procured under the scheme are maintained properly?
 Yes,
 No,
Not Applicable

105
20. Have your SHG done any kind of market assessment prior to starting the unit?
 Yes,
 No,
Not Applicable
21. How does your SHG market the products/ services?
On our own, 
Through melas/exhibitions, 
With the help of government departments, 
With the help of DRDA, 
Associated with other SHGs, 
With the help of NGOs/other agencies, 
Others (specify)________
22. Does your SHG participate in trade fairs/exhibitions organised by governmental/
nongovernmental agencies regularly?
 Yes,
 No,
Not Applicable
If ‘Yes’, indicate the number of such functions in which your SHG has participated during
2001-
2002-
23. Does your group participate in Gramshree melas/ Saras?
 Yes,
 No,
Not applicable
24. Does your SHG face problems in marketing your product/service?
 Yes,
 No
If ‘Yes’, give details_________________________________________________
25. Distance to the nearest market where products are sold/service provided? _____km
Is your SHG carrying out marketing related activities?
 Yes,

106
  No,
Not applicable
26. Is your SHG marketing products of Individual swarozgaris also?
 Line Departments
 DRDA/BDO
 Bank
Voluntary Operation in Community Planning Commission
and Environment (VOICE) Government of India
 Yes,
 No,
Not Applicable

27. Has your SHG received any assistance in product design/product development?
 Yes,
 No,
Not Applicable
If ‘Yes’, who provided the assistance?
Rural Development Commissionerate (State level), 
DRDA, 
Bank, 
Others (specify) _________________________________
28. What is the current annual turnover of your SHG from SGSY activities? Rs.____
Are the assets created/procured under SGSY insured?
 Yes,
 No
If ‘Yes’, has any insurance claims on assets made so far?
 Yes,
 No
29. Are the members in your SHG aware of the group life insurance scheme for swarozgaris
under the scheme?
107
  Yes,
 No

30. Are periodic meetings organised by DRDA to give necessary guidelines in quality
control?
 Yes,
 No,
Not Applicable
31. Does your SHG possess the ‘Vikas Patrika’?
 Yes,
 No,
Not Applicable
If ‘Yes’, is it maintained properly?
 Yes,
 No
32. How much did your group earn from SGSY activities? (Amount in Rs.)
GROUP MANAGEMENT:
33. How much is the increment in net annual income of the group generated from the
project? Rs.___________
34. Does your SHG find any problem in managing the activities of the Group?
 Yes,
 No
If ‘Yes’, what is the nature of the problem?
Differences among members, 
Difficulties in earning the amount for repayment of loan, 
Operational difficulties of the enterprise (including difficulties in marketing), 
Delay in getting the loan amount from the bank, 
Non cooperation of officials/bank, 
Others (specify________________________________________

108
35. Does SGSY activity help in the following?
A greater desire for self employment,  yes  no
Bring women together to work in groups,  yes  no
Increase in income,  yes  no
Increase in savings,  yes  no
Better health & educational facilities,  yes  no
Improved social prestige,  yes  no
Others (Specify)_____________

XVII. SOCIAL EMPOWERMENT

Skill / Ability
1. After becoming a member of the SHG, how much change has occurred in you
regarding the following skills/ abilities? (Please tick the appropriate column)
SI.NO Change Statement V.High High Low V.Low

1 Freely and frankly speaking in SHG meetings

2 Teaching / Training someone else
3 Speaking during public meetings
4 Presenting cultural programme in public
meetings
5 Taking up leadership positions in the SHG
6 Writing minutes of SHG meetings
109
7 Keeping of the accounts of SHG
8 Performing bank transactions
9 Going to government office / police station
10 Talking to government officials / police

2. Do you have own house? ,  yes  no

If yes, type of housing?
Kutcha 
Semi-Pucca 
Pucca 
NA 
3. Is it due to your membership in SHG?  yes  no
4. Is your house electrified?  yes  no
5. If yes, is it due to your membership in SHG?
6. Do you have a sanitary latrine?  yes  no
If yes, is it due to your membership in SHG?

If no, what is the type of sanitation do you have?

Public Latrine 
Pit Latrine 
Open Place 
NA 
7. If you do not have sanitary latrine, what is the reasons?
No sufficient land 
No money 
Not a felt need 
NA 
8. Do you have safe drinking water within 150 meters?  yes  no
9. How do you dispose household waste-solid / liquid? (Specify)

110
 XVIII. ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT

1. Did you have a Savings Bank account before joining the SHG?  yes  no
2. Did you have a Post office account before joining the SHG?  yes  no
. If yes, in whose name was the account?
Own name, 
Joint account 
NA 
3. Did you had your own savings accounts did you have monthly savings?  yes  no
4. What was the source of finance in your contingency before joining the SHG
-_______
5. Do you take loan from this source after joining the SHG-  yes 
no
6. Had you/ your family taken loans from money lenders before joining the
SHG?  yes  no

7. Are you still availing loans from money lenders even after joining SHG- yes  no

If yes, what are the reasons that you still depend on money lenders?
Don’t get sufficient loans from SHGs 
Haven’t repaid the loans from SHG 
Delay in getting the loans from SHG 
Any other (Specify)__________
NA 

If yes, what are the reasons that you still depend on gold loans?
8. What is your thrift saving as on today? Rs_______
9. Suppose the SHG ceases to exist and there are no more SHG meetings, or you leave
the SHG, still will you continue your savings in a Bank / Post office?  yes  no
10. Have you taken any loans from / through the SHG?  yes  no

111
 11. Self employment/income generation (individual)
• Activity of the enterprise_____________
• When was it started ___________
• Have you got any training-  yes  no
• The total project cost in Rs________
• Loans amount Rs_______ subsidy/ grant amount Rs____
• Beneficiary share amount Rs ______
• What type of loans
Direct Bank loans 
NGO / CDS transferring Loans 
Only from thrift 
Any other(Specify)__________
• Average monthly profit________________
• If no why?
• Rough monthly expenses in Rs __________
• Status of repayment
Fully Repaid 
Being repaid 
Not yet started 
12. Are you a defaulter of loans repayment?  yes  no

13. What are the main reasons for default in repayment of loans?
14. If some one default in loans repayment what action is taken?
Extend the period without fine 
Extend the period with fine 
Any other (Specify)_________
N.A 

XIX. POLITICAL EMPOWERMENT

1. Are you a member of any other social/ religious organization/ group?

112
  yes  no
2. If yes, what is the name of the organization / group?
 yes  no
3. Have you ever held leadership position in any of this organization/ group?
 yes  no
4. Have you attended any Grama Sabha/ Ward convention before you became
a member of the SHG?
 yes  no

5. How did you participate in discussions?

Very actively 
Actively 
Indifferently 
Have you contested in Panchayat / Municipal Elections?  yes  no
If yes, when?
After joining the SHG 
Before joining the SHG 
NA 
6. If yes, what was the result?
Won, 
Lost 
NA 
If won, are you a Chairperson of any Standing Committee / Working group?
 yes  no

7.Did you vote during the last election?

 yes  no
8.Are you an active participant of any political party?
 yes  no

113
 AFTER PILOT STUDY
IDENTIFICATION OF MARKETING PROBLEMS FACED BY COMMUNITY
IMPROVEMENT GROUPS
QUESTIONNAIRE

III.GENERAL SHG PROFILE

1.Name of SHG: ____________________________________

2. Address________________________ village__________Block ________
Phone No.______________
3. Type of group
Male/Female /Mixed
4. Date of SHG formation.
Date____ Month_______ Year_______
5. Name the organization, which promoted the SHG (tick relevant box)
Bank/any other financial Institution
NGO
Govt. Department
Cooperative Society
Self
Any other (specify)
6. Whether SHG is also registered under any other legal provisions:
Yes
No
If ‘Yes’ tick the relevant Act under which the SHG is registered
Registration of Societies Act 1860
Registration No_________
Cooperative Societies Act 1955
Registration No_________
Indian Trust Act 1882
Registration No_______

114
 Companies Act 1956
Registration No___________

7. Whether the SHG is affiliated to the following (Tick any of the following)
Cooperative Society
NGO/NBFC*
SHG Federation
( *NFBC: Non Banking financial Institution)

8. Details of SHG Bank Account:

Bank A/c No______________
Name of Bank___________________ Address___________________

IV. OBJECTIVE / VISION/ MISSION OF THE SHG

1.OBJECTIVES OF SHG
State the reasons as to why the group was formed
______________________________________________
_______________________________________________

2. VISION /MISSION GOALS of SHG

i)________________________________________________________
ii)_______________________________________________________

III. MEMBERSHIP DETAILS:

Members details
1.Name of Members
2.Gender Age
�Male
�Female
3. Marital Status
�Married
� Unmarried

4.Educational Status
Below 5th std
5th to 10th
10th to 12th
5.Skills available
6.Occupational Status*
� Agriculture
� Non Agriculture
� Other occupation

115
 � No occupation

7.No of children
1
2
3

8.Economic Status of members

<2000
2000 – 3000
3000 – 4000
4000 – 5000
>5000

IV. DETAILS OF SHG MEETINGS

2. Indicate frequency of meetings of SHG
Monthly
Weekly
Forthnightly

3. Indicate the total no of meetings held since inception

__________________ nos

V. FINANCIAL INFORMATION of SHG

5. Savings: Indicate the regularity of savings

No. Frequency of Regular Savings Tick relevant

1 Monthly
2 Weekly
3 fortnightly

6. Are the group members also making Extra saving

Yes
No
7. Indicate the amount of saving by members
Amount of Saving per month/per member Rs ……………

8. Do members save in non cash form

Yes
No
116
If ‘Yes’ indicate the types/items of non cash forms of savings
Indicate the sources of funds of the SHG and the amount received

S.No Source Name of Purpose Tot amt Subsidy/gra Interest %

org/bank nt loan
1 Thrift/
savings
2 Revolving
fund
3 Bank loan
4 External
funding
5 NGO
support
6 Govt.
agency
7 Any others
8 Int. charged
on loans
from SHG
members

VI.LOAN AND CREDIT DISBURSEMENT AND REPAYMENT IN SHG

Loans details in SHG
Sl No Particulars Numbers
1 No of members who have taken loan
2 No of members who have taken loans more than once
3 Number of non SHG persons who received loans
4 Total no of loans
5 No of loans taken by members
6 No of loans taken by representatives

VII.BOOK-KEEPING AND DOCUMENTATION

3. Indicate whether the SHG are maintaining the following books and ledgers
Sl No Names of the books /Ledgers Yes No

117
 1 Admission book
2 Minutes Book
3 Attendance register
4 Cash book
5 General ledger
6 Savings ledger
7 Loan Ledger
8 Bank pass Book
9 Individual Pass book
10 Receipt Vouchers
11 Stock book
12 Any other (specify)

4. Has the audit of the SHG been done

Yes
No

VIII.TRAINING

2. Indicate the details of trainings of the members of the SHG

S.No Training Duration Date No. of SHG Organiser
members

IX.CREDIT PLUS ACTIVITIES

2. What types of intervention/social action programmes/activities/awareness
taken up by SHG are:
Sl. No. Type of programme Yes No
1 Health
2 Immunization
3 Education
4 ICDS/Nutrition/Anganwadi
5 Adolescent programme
6 Non formal Education
7 T.L.C
8 Water and Sanitation programme
9 Any others (Specify)
118
 X. GROUP DYNAMICS, CAPACITY, COMMUNICATION AND
INTERACTIONS (ASSETS-LINKAGE-COVERGENCE-etc)
5. Self-Help and Social Capital:
Sl No Details Yes No
1 Does SHG have any contingency arrangement for
meeting any difficult/unforeseen circumstances
within the group and for its activities
2 Has any member or section of your community other
Has any member or section of your community other help
3 Has SHG organized any activity in village(s)
4 Has any new employment activity been made
available to the SHG members

6. Has SHG group met any of the following to address group or community
Problem
YES NO
Official of the State/ District/block level
Political leader
NGO
SHPI/Federation
Banks
Any other relevant organization (pl specify with details)
3. Has the SHG taken initiative to have a federation of SHG;
Yes
No
If yes give details.
_____________________________________________________________________

XI. PERCEPTION OF SHG’s

B) Regarding selected activities
36. Are the physical & human resources required for the selected activity is available in the
village?
Yes
No

37. Is there any member in your SHG having following quality;

A. leadership
119
 B. micro planning
C. documentation
D. critical decision making processes

38. Is there any ready made market available for your product/selected activity at;
YES NO
D. Local level
E. Regional level
F. National level

39. Is there any linkages identified with marketing agencies/cooperative bodies?

Yes
No

40. Is there any training agency identified for the activity?

Yes
No
If yes, Name of the Training Agency _______________________

41. Is there any training programme identified for the selected activity?
YES NO
Existing marketing potential and linkages
Product development & marketing linkages

XII. ROLE OF SHG’s IN IDENTIFICATION OF ACTIVITIES

2. Does your SHG helped SGSY committee in the identification of activity?
Yes
No
If yes, Are they (SHG) provided information regarding
E. Existing knowledge and skill base of the persons residing in the cluster/village?
F. Existing level of resources/raw material in the villages
G. local, regional and national marketing potential
H. In all three mentioned above

XIII. CAPACITY/SKILLS EXISTING WITH THE BENEFICIARIES

1. Does the existing group members are able to strengthen the organization's ability to perform
specific functions
Yes
No
2. Is the SHG enables and stimulates their members for;
Better interaction, communication

120
 L. Conflict resolution in society, and

M. Enhancing social capital

N. Agriculture and Related Activities Livestock, Forestry, etc.

O. Mining and Quarrying

P. Household Industry

Q. Other Industry

R. Construction

S. Trade and Commerce

T. Transport, Communication, etc.

U. Service

V. Others (Specify)

XIV. MARKETING SUPPORT PROVIDED

4. Does the DRDA/Administration provide any marketing support to the group?
Yes
No
Not applicable

If yes, what kind of support is provided by the DRDA?

5. Act as a facilitator and tie-up groups with local & outside
market
6. Organised Sale out let Through participating in various
Exhibitions

121
 7. Institutional selling

8. Others

XV. SCHEME PARTICULARS

2. How did the members in your SHG come to know about the scheme?
• Through local dailies/TV/AIR
• Through Extension Officers
• Gramsabha,
• Intermediate Panchayat/Block
• Gram Panchayat/Lowest elected body
• DRDA/Zilla Parishad,
• Other SHG members
• Friends/Neighbours/Public figures/ Members of local bodies
• Others

5. When did you open the account in the bank? Month: _________, Year : _________
6. Where is the application form for loan submitted?
• Gram sabha
• BDO’s office
• Bank
• DRDA
Any other
7. Have the SHG invested in on-farm activities?
Yes
No

If ‘Yes’, (a) The facilities created/improved Particulars Approx. cost (Rs.)

Open wells
Bore/tube wells
Lift irrigation
Check dams
Pump sets
Other lifting devices
Others (specify)

If ‘No’, type of activity your SHG is involved in

Buffalo rearing
Poultry
Piggery
Tools for Handloom or handicrafts,
Tools for Carpentry/ black smithy and other vocations
Open a shop
122
Others

S.No Document Code Yes No

1 Minutes Book
2 Attendance Register
3 Loan Ledger
4 Cash Book
5 Bank Passbook
6 Individual Passbook
7 Repayment Particulars

4. Did the BDO/bank officials visit the members in your SHG and explain about the
opportunities for selfemployment?
S.NO OFFICIALS YES NO
1 BDO
2 Bank

6 . Do the members participate in the decision-making process?

Yes,
No
6.Are there thrift and credit activities in your SHG?
Yes,
No
42. How much do they deposit in SHG on monthly basis? Rs. ______
43. Has the group developed financial management norms covering loans, sanction
procedure, repayment schedule, interest rates, etc.?
 Yes,
 No
44. Has revolving fund been provided to your SHG?
 Yes,
 No
If ‘Yes’,
when : Month: ____________Year: __________
Amount received Rs._____________
45. How was the revolving fund used?
Purchase of raw materials/equipments, 
To aid marketing/infrastructure support for
income generating activities, 
Urgent loans to individual members, 
Any other (Specify)________

46. Was any commission or bribe paid in availing the benefit?

 Yes,
 No
123
47. How long have your SHG taken to acquire the asset after release of loan amount from the
bank?
In the first month, 
In the second month, 
In the third month, 
In the fourth month, 
After four months, 
Not Applicable 
48. Did the line depts./DRDA/bank check/verify & mark the assets created/ purchased?
 Yes,
 No,
Not Applicable
49. Whether the assets created/procured under the scheme are maintained properly?
 Yes,
 No,
Not Applicable
50. Have your SHG done any kind of market assessment prior to starting the unit?
 Yes,
 No,
Not Applicable
51. How does your SHG market the products/ services?
On our own, 
Through melas/exhibitions, 
With the help of government departments, 
With the help of DRDA, 
Associated with other SHGs, 
With the help of NGOs/other agencies, 
Others (specify)________
52. Does your SHG participate in trade fairs/exhibitions organised by governmental/
nongovernmental agencies regularly?
 Yes,
 No,
Not Applicable

53. Does your SHG face problems in marketing your product/service?

 Yes,
 No
If ‘Yes’, give details_________________________________________________
54. Distance to the nearest market where products are sold/service provided? _____km
Is your SHG carrying out marketing related activities?
 Yes,
 No,
Not applicable
55. Is your SHG marketing products of Individual members also?
 Yes,
 No

124
56. Has your SHG received any assistance in product design/product development?
 Yes,
 No,
Not Applicable
If ‘Yes’, who provided the assistance?
Rural Development Commissionerate (State level), 
DRDA, 
Bank, 
Others (specify) _________________________________
57. What is the current annual turnover of your SHG from SGSY activities? Rs.____
Are the assets created/procured under SGSY insured?
 Yes,
 No
If ‘Yes’, has any insurance claims on assets made so far?
 Yes,
 No
58. Are the members in your SHG aware of the group life insurance scheme for swarozgaris
under the scheme?
 Yes,
 No

59. Are periodic meetings organised by DRDA to give necessary guidelines in quality
control?
 Yes,
 No,
Not Applicable
60. How much did your group earn from SGSY activities? (Amount in Rs.)

GROUP MANAGEMENT:
61. How much is the increment in net annual income of the group generated from the
project? Rs.___________
62. Does your SHG find any problem in managing the activities of the Group?
 Yes,
 No
If ‘Yes’, what is the nature of the problem?
Differences among members, 
Difficulties in earning the amount for repayment of loan, 
Operational difficulties of the enterprise (including difficulties in marketing), 
Delay in getting the loan amount from the bank, 
Non cooperation of officials/bank, 
Others (specify________________________________________

63. Does SGSY activity help in the following?

A greater desire for self employment,  yes  no
Bring women together to work in groups,  yes  no

125
Increase in income,  yes  no
Increase in savings,  yes  no
Better health & educational facilities,  yes  no
Improved social prestige,  yes  no
Others (Specify)_____________

XVI. SOCIAL EMPOWERMENT

Skill / Ability
10. After becoming a member of the SHG, how much change has occurred in you
regarding the following skills/ abilities? (Please tick the appropriate column)
SI.NO Change Statement V.High High Low V.Low

1 Freely and frankly speaking in SHG meetings

2 Teaching / Training someone else
3 Speaking during public meetings
4 Presenting cultural programme in public
meetings
5 Taking up leadership positions in the SHG
6 Writing minutes of SHG meetings
7 Keeping of the accounts of SHG
8 Performing bank transactions
9 Going to government office / police station
10 Talking to government officials / police

11. Do you have own house? ,  yes  no

If yes, type of housing?
Kutcha 
Semi-Pucca 
Pucca 
NA 
12. Is it due to your membership in SHG?  yes  no
13. Is your house electrified?  yes  no
14. If yes, is it due to your membership in SHG?
15. Do you have a sanitary latrine?  yes  no
16. Do you have safe drinking water within 150 meters?  yes  no
17. How do you dispose household waste-solid / liquid? (Specify)

XVII. ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT

15. Did you have a Savings Bank account before joining the SHG?  yes  no
16. Did you have a Post office account before joining the SHG?  yes  no
126
 . If yes, in whose name was the account?
Own name, 
Joint account 
NA 
17. Did you had your own savings accounts did you have monthly savings?  yes
 no
18. What was the source of finance in your contingency before joining the SHG
-_______
19. Do you take loan from this source after joining the SHG-  yes
 no
20. Had you/ your family taken loans from money lenders before joining the
SHG?  yes  no

21. Are you still availing loans from money lenders even after joining SHG- yes
 no

If yes, what are the reasons that you still depend on money lenders?
Don’t get sufficient loans from SHGs 
Haven’t repaid the loans from SHG 
Delay in getting the loans from SHG 
Any other (Specify)__________
NA 

If yes, what are the reasons that you still depend on gold loans?
22. What is your thrift saving as on today? Rs_______
23. Suppose the SHG ceases to exist and there are no more SHG meetings, or
you leave
the SHG, still will you continue your savings in a Bank / Post office?  yes  no
24. Have you taken any loans from / through the SHG?  yes  no

25. Self employment/income generation (individual)

• Activity of the enterprise_____________
• When was it started ___________
• Have you got any training-  yes  no
• The total project cost in Rs________
• Loans amount Rs_______ subsidy/ grant amount Rs____
• Beneficiary share amount Rs ______
• What type of loans
Direct Bank loans 
NGO / CDS transferring Loans 
Only from thrift 
Any other(Specify)__________
127
 • Average monthly profit________________
• If no why?
• Rough monthly expenses in Rs __________
• Status of repayment
Fully Repaid 
Being repaid 
Not yet started 
26. Are you a defaulter of loans repayment?  yes  no

27. What are the main reasons for default in repayment of loans?
28. If some one default in loans repayment what action is taken?
Extend the period without fine 
Extend the period with fine 
Any other (Specify)_________
N.A 

XVIII. POLITICAL EMPOWERMENT

7. Are you a member of any other social/ religious organization/ group?

 yes  no
8. If yes, what is the name of the organization / group?
 yes  no
9. Have you ever held leadership position in any of this organization/ group?
 yes  no
10. Have you attended any Grama Sabha/ Ward convention before you became
a member of the SHG?
 yes  no

11. How did you participate in discussions?

Very actively 
Actively 
Indifferently 
Have you contested in Panchayat / Municipal Elections?  yes  no
If yes, when?
After joining the SHG 
Before joining the SHG 
NA 

12. If yes, what was the result?

Won, 
Lost 
128
 NA 
If won, are you a Chairperson of any Standing Committee / Working group?
 yes  no

7.Did you vote during the last election?

 yes  no
8.Are you an active participant of any political party?
 yes  no

129