MICROFINANCE AS A TOOL FOR WOMEN'S EMPOWERMENT: A CASE STUDY IN BILASPUR, CHHATTISGARH, INDIA

Microfinance, particularly when channelled through Self-Help Groups (SHGs) and related to Minor Forest Produce (MFP), has been perceived as a potential tool for women's empowerment, especially in rural and semi-urban settings. Access to financial services, credit, and income generating opportunities holds substantial socio-economic importance for women. While extensive research documents the beneficial effects of microfinance, studies focusing specifically on Minor Forest Produce (MFP)-based Self-Help Groups (SHGs) in smaller urban areas, such as Bilaspur, has remained limited. This research investigated the impact of microfinance, particularly through Minor Forest Produce (MFP)-based Self-Help Groups (SHGs), on women's empowerment in Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh.