CONCLUSIONS & SUGGESTIONS

In most of the developing countries today, more and more

emphasis is laid on the need for women’s active participation in
the main stream of development process. It is also widely
recognized that apart from managing household, bearing children,
rural women bring income with productive activities ranging from
traditional work in the field of working in factories or running
small and petty business. They have also proven that they can be
better entrepreneurs and development managers in any kind of
human development activities. Economic progress in any country
whether developed or under developed could be achieved through
social development. The social development on the other hand is
based upon the active participation of women in developmental
activities. W omen’s’ empowerment cannot be ignored while
devising various policies for rural and socio-economic
development. Providing micro-credit to rural women through an
organized step will make them enterprising women.

In this regard the Self-Help Group (SHGs) can play a vital

role in the socio-economic upliftment of women. The Self-Help
Group (SHGs) is viable alternative to achieve the objectives of
rural development and to get community participation in all rural
development programmes. They enhance the equality of status of
women as participants, decision maker and beneficiaries in the
democratic, economic, social and cultural spheres of life. Since
long the Self-Help Group (SHGs) has played a major role in the
awareness creating and economic upliftment of women

In order to analyze the role played by Self-Help Group

(SHGs) in Empowerment of women in creating social, political,
cultural, financial and others awareness present study has been
undertaken. It has been measured up to what extent the Self-Help
Groups have been successful to inculcate the quality of self
dependence, leadership and entrepreneur qualities among

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women. The study is limited up to Mashobra block of Shimla
District.

The first chapter of the present study deals with the

introduction to women empowerment which means to give more
legal and moral power to women in all the spheres of life.
Emancipation of women is an essential prerequisite for economic
development and social progress of the women. In overall the
women empowerment is nothing but a religious cultural and legal
struggle against oppression, injustice and discrimination.

Second chapter deals with the working status of National

Rural Livelihood mission in Himachal Pradesh this scheme was
formally launched on 3 r d June, 2011 in H.P. This programme was
started in August, 2013 & Annual Action Plan was submitted to
Government of India on 16 t h October, 2013 and which was
approved on 26 t h December, 2013 and funds were released to
H.P. on 3 r d January, 2014. Funding pattern under the mission is
of 75:25 cost sharing basis. The main objectives of this
programmes is to bring beneficiaries would be covering all the
BPL families and also families which are marginally above
poverty line (to be selected through the process of Participatory
Identified of poor) by organizing them into SHGs/Federation
through bank linkage and repeat financing.

Third chapter has discussed the working of self-help groups

in terms of number of SHGs formed and their members, individual
membership, credit and subsidy disbursed to SHG under
swaranjayanti gram swarozgar yojana (SGSY). The data have
been compiled from rural development department, government of
Himachal Pradesh, Shimla. The analysis has been done for the
year from 2009 to 2014. In the year 2013-14 the study of SHGs is
done by under NRLM (national rural livelihoods mission) because
swaranjayanti gram swarozgar yojana has been restructured as
national rural livelihoods mission.

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 Fourth chapter has dealt with the self-help groups and
women empowerment and socio-economic profile of women in
Mashobra block of Shimla district. The study is important in order
to find out the socio-economic conditions of the women. It is also
important in order to find out and analyze the basic problems
faced by women. In order to study the social background, some of
the indicators like age, category, education, domestic problems,
domestic decisions etc. It can prove useful in ascertaining the
personalities of respondents & consequently their reaction
towards particular situations.

Fifth chapter deals with the conclusions and suggestions

for the improvement of the SHGs. In this chapter the overall
analysis and suggestion based on that, analysis are given. In
nutshell the Self Help Groups has played a vital role in social and
economic upliftment of the women belonging to Mashobra Block
of Shimla district. It has marked the role of Self Help Groups
(SHGs) in the social economic political psychological, religious
and spiritual activism of women.

Thus the present study has proved major hypothesis that

the Self-Help Groups (SHG’s) are playing important role in the
socio-economic welfare and upliftment of women. Study has also
proved the both sub hypothesis that the Participation of women in
Self-Help Groups (SHG’s) has enhanced various skills among the
women and the Participation of women in Self-Help Groups
(SHG’s) has made them more self-dependent.

MAJOR HYPOTHESIS

1. Self Help Groups are playing positive and effective role in

the socio-economic empowerment of women in district
Shimla.

SUB-HYPOTHESIS

1. Participation of women in Self-Help Groups (SHG’s) has

enhanced various skills among the women.

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2. Participation of women in Self-Help Groups (SHG’s) has
made them more self-dependent.
To sum up the observations, the study findings lead to
observe several emerging issues in term of women & self help
groups. These are given as following;

FINDINGS OF THE STUDY

• The membership of SHGs is in fluctuating trend. The

fluctuations coming in the membership of SHGs is because
of the people coming under BPL Category on getting job are
removed from SHG membership.
• The massive number of younger strata is more active in the
participation of SHGs in the age group of 21-40 years rather
than elderly people.
• It is observed that most of the 50 percent respondents were
having education up to matriculation.
• Keeping the age profile of the respondents it was expected
that the incidence of marriage is bound to be more and
majority in the marital status of the women working in the
self-help groups (SHGs).
• Most of the women of Mashobra block of Shimla district
were earning Rs. 1000 per month and were having an
experience of about 6 years and above in self-help groups.
• There was maximum participation of members of self-help
groups in panchayati raj institutions.
• Most of the women were introduced by itself with self-help
groups and most of them have considered it beneficial for
all social, financial and domestic needs
• Social security is the main motive of the members of self-
help groups behind joining self-help groups.
• Majority of 40 percent decisions were taken by the women
itself alone. It has positive sign that women has relied less
on their husband & other family members in domestic
decision-making.

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• After joining the self-help groups the majority of members
have started taking financial decisions of their family up to
some extent. The majority of members of SHGs have got
the social and financial benefits after joining the SHGs.
• To conclude the general observation, 72 percent
respondents mentioned that it was not the SHG leaders but
the SHG member who asserted its influence in making the
members coming together and striving for self and
economic development.
• Most of the women members of Mashobra block of Shimla
district have stated that they are aware about the local
amenities after joining self-help groups.
• The 40 percent respondents expressed that there was a
more positive change in sharing of opinion.
• Self-Help Group plays an important role in order to
generate more employment to its members. Financial
assistance of loan provided by self-help group (SHGs) has
leaded member from unemployment to self employment and
expansion in employment position.
• After joining self-help groups majority of women have
considered that they have enhanced all communication,
management and confidence skills.

SUGGESTIONS FOR BETTER FUNCTIONING OF SHGs

On the basis of present study, a few suggestions are put

forward for the agencies and department that are involved in the
formation and smooth working of SHGs in Himachal Pradesh.

• The group members should collectively utilizes the benefits

of different government schemes so as to enhance their
living standard.
• The group members should be made insight that self-help
group are not only means of taking easy loan or credit;

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 rather it provides the opportunity to improve their socio-
economic conditions.
• Self-help groups should extend the area of their business
and try to reach to local markets for their home making
products.
• Senior women should also be encouraged to participate in
the programme as they have good experience of making
different sort of things.
• It is essential to literate the illiterate members in a minimum
time frame. So that those members can take part more
effectively in the working of SHGs.
• The bank should be advised to ask for minimum documents
for accessing loans by SHGs.
• The banking system can and must improve its functioning
by working with local government and voluntary
organization.
• There should be regular evaluation and monitoring of SHGs
through different useful agencies like government, bankers,
NGOs, etc.
• There is need for recurring and increased finance to SHGs.
The bank should recognize the Members’ requirement of
money at the right time for appropriate income generation
activities.
• Enhance the ability of group to address local development
needs/issues.
• More and more training programmes on income generation
and self employment should be provided. This would enable
the SHGs members in getting access to credit, get out of
low paying occupation and earn more money.
• Training programmes should be conducted from time to time
not only for the group leaders but also for the group
members. To enhance the participation of all the members,

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 exclusive membership education programmes need to be
conducted.
• Marketing of the products has emerged one of the major
problem faced by SHGs. Efforts should be made to provide
marketing facilities through cooperatives and government
outlets.
• All members of SHGs need to be imparted a leadership
training and eventually there has to be rotation in
leadership to ensure functioning of SHGs on more
democratic basis.
• Media can encourage the people to become member of
SHGs. Media should emphasize on publicity about the
benefits of the SHGs by this more people will involve in the
SHGs.
• Members of SHGs, who sell their products in the market,
face many problems regarding price of the product, storage
of products. If government will give proper facility for
marketing, proper space for products and better price for
the products of SHGs than group will work more effectively.
• There is need to accept that women’s need is not only for
self-employment. The programmes should be designed on
the basis of the needs of women at the micro level.
Planning for self- employment for women needs a multi-
prolonged strategy.

• The participation of schedule caste women members should

be increased. There is also need to provide more official
positions to them. More official positions are required to be
provided to women belonging to other categories also for
that special interventions are required to be taken.

• The Self Help Groups (SHGs) should be made financially

very strong because it is the easy source of raising finance
for the women. Easy finance on easy terms should be

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 provided to the women members of Self Help Groups
(SHGs).
• There is need to streamline the procedure for applying,
seeking and releasing of credit from the banks. The
procedural difficulties are one of the major impediments,
which have denied women the financial benefits of the
banks. Therefore, the procedure for credit access to women
should be made more easy and simple.
• The factors responsible for poor performance of functioning
of SHGs should be investigated, examined and analyzed
scientifically to resolve the emerging problems, difficulties
and challenges being faced by them.
• The key elements in the survival and sustainability of the
SHGs should naturally be built on those elements that have
brought the group together. SHGs have to evolve as
sustainable village institutions for taking active role in
development and governance.
• The group would resolve to follow the panchsutra.
Panchsutra is very important for good SHGs.
• A fully mature group is one that achieves competence to
independently handle issues of its internal practices both
financial and non-financial. The group should be able to
handle its leadership, problem solving and conflict
resolution successfully with minimum help. it should also be
positive to maintain its records and other books of accounts
independently or through other arrangement

A coordinated & integrated effort, timely and periodic

appraisal, extensive awareness & motivation would no doubt go a
long way to inculcate confidence in the minds of women to
empower them. W hat is required a 6 R's great approach Roles,
Responsibilities, Resources, Risks, and Response & Rewards.

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