Constraints Faced and Suggestions Received by Self Help Group Members of Akola District, Maharashtra

Abstract

Self Help Groups (SHGs) emerged as a key programming strategy in India for most of the women development activities starting with the NABARD led pilot project in 1992 that aimed at promoting and financing 500 SHGs across the country; the SHG – Bank Linkage programme has come a long way. However, given the SHG approach's positive outcomes, there are many problems and constraints that conflict with the SHGs. The present study was carried out in Akola district of Maharashtra state of India during the year 2018-19 with a sample size of 120 to define the constraints faced and suggestions offered by the members of SHGs. The Major constraints faced were lack of credit availability at low rates of interest, its adequacy and timely access followed by difficulty in managing time to spare for SHG activities from everyday household activities and non Cooperation of family members. Among the suggestions offered majority of the members offered women beneficiaries should be provided with adequate financing and subsidies, more income generating skills training should be organized for the members.