SHG for Poverty Eradication and Women Empowerment, special reference to West Development Block of Golaghat District of Assam

SHG for Poverty Eradication and Women Empowerment, special reference to West Development Block of Golaghat District of Assam Dipty Tamuly1 Research Scholar (Economics), Mahatma Gandhi University, Meghalaya Dr. Sagar O Manjare2 Research Supervisor, Mahatma Gandhi University, Meghalaya Abstract: SHGs are the major resources of inspiration for women’s empowerment. SHGs in rural areas help poor people especially women to become empowered economically, politically and socially. After joining SHGs, the women members become empowered economically which leads to reduction of poverty. The Government of Assam has taken initiatives to promote SHGs with the help of some schemes so that the problem of poverty could reduce and women of the rural areas become empowered. At present the concept of SHGs spread all over India as well as in Assam. The rural poor women also have known about the benefit of SHGs and so they are very interested to be a member of SHG. With the help of SHGs, most of the women of Assam have introduced themselves as small entrepreneur and tried to improve their standard of living and also alleviate poverty. The government of Assam has recently taken a scheme ‘Lakhpati Baideu’ to transform the rural poor women of SHGs from housewives to entrepreneurs. This study has attempted to find out the important role of SHGs in empowering women and eradicating poverty from rural areas of West Development Block of Golaghat District of Assam.