Loading...
Thesis
Browse
1 results
Search Results
ThesisItem Open Access Impact of Self help groups on Women Empowerment in Punjab(PAU, 2014) Kaur, Lakhwinder; Kalra, Rajinder KaurThe present study entitled “Impact of self help groups on women empowerment in Punjab” was undertaken to determine the profile of the members of self help groups, impact of self help groups on empowerment of women, problems faced by the members of self help groups and extension approaches used by promoting agencies in organizing and managing group affairs. The study was conducted in the state of Punjab and a total of 200 members were selected based on the probability proportional to the size of members in each district. All the managers for promoting selected self help groups under different agencies were selected. Data were collected from members by using interview schedule and managers by using questionnaire approach. Results revealed that majority of the members of self help groups were young, matriculates, labourers, belonged to SC category, had family size of 4-6 members and earned up to Rs.65000 per annum. Most of self help groups engaged in food processing (5), tailoring (4), making of household products (3) and honey production (2). Most of the respondents availed training opportunities provided to them by different agencies for capacity building as a result of which they increased their income in the range of Rs.1000-1500 per month. A large number of women in Punjab developed courage to think independently (99.50%), understood group activities (96%) and managed group activities (95.5%) after joining the group. Furthermore the social empowerment of the members in terms of team spirit (97%), talked freely within family (94%), confidence in dealing with people (95.5%) were enhanced. The socio-personal and psychological traits like annual income, mass media exposure, extension contacts, scientific orientation, and group cohesiveness were found to have positive and significant relationship at 5 per cent level while education, economic motivation, achievement motivation and risk bearing capacity had positive and significant relationship at 1 per cent level with the women empowerment. All the traits jointly explained 47.9 per cent (R2 = 0.479) variation in the women empowerment of self help groups. Extension approaches like group discussion, trainings and group meetings were „always used by the managers of promoting agencies for empowering the members. Linkages with line department (83.33%), regularity in savings (75%) and division of labour (41.66%) were the strengthening points while group crisis (50%) , non-cooperation of family members (50%) and over-dependence on the leader of the group (33.33%) were the weak points of groups formed by various organizations. Lack of transport facilities (81.50%), procurement of good quality raw materials (61%) and non-cooperation of the family to attend training outstations (51%) were the major problems perceived by the respondents. The study would be beneficial to analyze the social, economic and managerial aspects for economically deprived women of the society for effective functioning of the groups as well as will facilitate stakeholders for better future planning regarding formation of the self help groups.