Measuring Women Self-Help Groups and Their Enterprises Sustainability in Odisha

Abstract

The SHG programme has successfully transformed the lives of rural and urban poor by providing financial and non-financial assistance. The effectiveness of the programme is evident from the gradually increasing enrolment. By targeting women as their major priority, the promoting agencies/government is trying to assure the recurrence of the programme. The SHG programme in India has widespread coverage with due effort from NABARD and specialised State agencies with the highest coverage in the southern region. Even the eastern region also holds a significant share with a major presence in West Bengal and Odisha. The present study attempts to examine the sustainability position of WSHGs of Odisha with the help of a multidimensional sustainability index. Two-way analysis was made to evaluate the actual status of SHGs and their enterprises. Initially, the evaluation was done at the SHG level and later enterprise-level analysis was made to conclude the overall sustainability status. Though many studies reported successful implementation and effectiveness of the programme, the actual scenario is quite different. Group-level analysis reveals that financial assistance alone will not break the multi -dimensional poverty. Therefore, the study suggests active participation of government and non-government agencies for developing the required skills.