ROLE OF BANKS IN WOMEN'S EMPOWERMENT THROUGH SELF-HELP GROUPS: AN ANALYTICAL STUDY OF RAJASTHAN

This study analyses the role of banks in promoting women’s empowerment through Self-Help Groups (SHGs) in Rajasthan, based on secondary data. The study draws upon information available from the Rajasthan Grameen Aajeevika Vikas Parishad (RAJEEVIKA), Rajasthan Economic Reviews, the Rajasthan SDG Report and the microfinance reports published by the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD). The primary objective of the study is to examine the growth of Self-Help Groups, the availability of bank savings accounts, the flow of bank credit and the trends in the SHG-Bank Linkage Programme at both the state and national levels. According to the available state-level data, the number of SHGs increased from approximately 1.85 lakh in December 2020 to 4.09 lakh by December 2024. During the corresponding reporting periods, the number of groups having bank savings accounts also increased. At the national level, both savings-linked SHGs and credit disbursement registered growth between 2022–23 and 2024–25. Comparative data from two Regional Rural Banks operating in Rajasthan also indicate an increase in savings amounts and annual credit disbursement. However, these selected banks cannot be considered representative of the entire banking sector of the state. The study concludes that banking linkages constitute an important foundation for the financial inclusion of women’s groups. Nevertheless, the available administrative data alone cannot establish a causal improvement in women’s income, decision-making capacity