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ThesisItem Open Access Microfinance and women empowerment: an impact study of Self Help Groups (SHGs) in Kumaon region of Uttarakhand(G.B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar - 263145 (Uttarakhand), 2009-08) Gangwar, Ruchi Rani; Tewari, S.K.The study aimed to assess the impact of microfinance on socio-economic empowerment of women SHGs members in Nainital district of Uttarakhand .The study was based on the data collected from 87 women members of self help groups (SHGs).The women SHGs were under SGSY and NABARD category. The study aimed to assess the impact of microfinance on socio-economic empowerment of women SHGs members in Nainital district of Uttarakhand. The socioeconomic profile of women members of SHGs across the models were compared taking age, poverty level, education, caste, health, type of family, size of family and type of land holdings , income, expenditure , savings and value of assets as variable. The result showed that women members of NABARD model II and III were found to be better off in socio-economic aspects than their counterparts in SHGs under SGSY. The women members of SHGs under NABARD model II and III comparatively received the larger amount of loans at Rs. 13,400 and Rs.19, l967, respectively. Members of women SHGs under NABARD categories also borrowed the higher proportion of loan amount for farm purposes than SGSY. But overall picture showed that more than half (57.4%) of loan amount was used for non farm purposes across all the models. Loans taken by women SHG members directly from banks had the lowest cost of borrowing irrespective of the models due to low interest rates charged by banks (9.5-10%). Loan from SHGs and NGOs had higher cost of borrowing as the interest rates were higher (20-24 % and 15%respectively) and NGOs charged higher processing and legal fee for loans. Interest cost accounted for approximately 81-84 % of the total cost of borrowing in case of loans from banks whereas, it was it was 94-98 % for loans from SHGs and 89-98 % for loans from non institutional sources. The repayment performance of NABARD category was found better than other. The decision making ability/empowerment of women regarding the socio-economic aspects were moderately increased across all the models. The maximum proportion of women members under NABARD category III and II were found to have moderate level of empowerment than SGSY. The result showed that after joining SHGs the decision making power/ability of women members regarding the access to credit, asset building, and income and money expenditure was increased than before. Their participation in political and social activities also increased. Maximum proportion of women members participating in Panchayati Raj Institution was under SGSY model whereas the participation of women members was higher in academic and technical work under NABARD model II and III. The main reason behind the deficient functioning of women SHGs was economic problem regardless of the type of the model under which the SHG functions. The results suggest that the procedure for credit access to women should be made more easy and simple. There is need to sensitize the bank staff towards the needs, constraints and inhibitions of women, need to evolve training packages for entrepreneurship development to enable rural women as successful business managers. Social capability building programmes should be organized to promote small savings and women’s active role in developmental activities and to enhance socio-economic empowerment of women.