Developing Women Entreprenuers Through Microfinance

The Government of India has enacted many legislations, policies, programmes, schemes, etc. and had put them into action through various five year plans. From Fifth Five Year Plan onwards there has been a marked shift in the approach to women's issues from welfare to development and of women empowerment has been recognized as the central issue in determining the status of women. Keeping this in view the central and state governments have been implementing many programmes and schemes to empower women economically, socially, politically and legally. One such programme is empowering women through micro-credit vis-a-vis Self-Help Groups. Self Help Groups (DWCRA Groups), as sub-scheme of integrated Rural Development Scheme (IRDP), started in Andhra Pradesh in 1982-83 with UNICEF cooperation with the primary objective of focusing attention on the women members of rural families living below the poverty line with a view to generate self employment on a sustained basis. The focus of SHG strategy is on participation, savings, and credit and income generation for economic empowerment of poor households.