Performance Of Women Self Help Groups And Their Problems

PERFORMANCE OF WOMEN SELF HELP GROUPS AND THEIR PROBLEMS *Mrs. Karuna Kiran Malshet Asst. Professor, Agri Extension Extension EEU, UAS Dharwad Education

*Dr.L. Manjunath Prof. Agri Dept. of Agri. Extension UAS Dharwad

A study was conducted during 2004-05 in Dharwad, Kalaghatgi and Kundgol Taluq of Dharwad district covering 12 women SHGs. The purpose was to obtain a comprehensive knowledge of the performance of SHGs in Dharwad district with special importance to the procedure followed in the formation activities undertaken, benefits derived by the members, the difficulties encountered as well as their suggestions and socio-economic profile of members. All the members of SHGs and grass root level workers of NGOs were interviewed. The findings of the study showed that most of the respondents were initiated by themselves (43.33%). Popular economic activities taken up by the individuals after joining the SHGs were, raising paddy nursery for sale (25.83%), and pickle making (19.16%). The group activities included the attempts to solve drinking water problems (66.67%), purchase of groceries in bulk (58.33%). The SHG members faced constraints like misunderstanding amongst SHG members (39.16%), difficulties in diversification of activities or starting new activities (37.50%). The misunderstanding between the SHG members was obvious due to multiple trade practices of the groups. In the heterogeneous nature of the SHGs, variation in socio-economic status, in which education, caste, income, age, family background and family status are pertinent and natural. It is but possible that better skill oriented women are /and better socio-economic status members may dominate other members of the group subduing the rest in decision making, which invariably creates misunderstanding, indecisiveness and inferiority feeling which will further hamper the situation of working in harmony for common goal. The socio-economic profiles revealed that majority of the members were middle aged (68.33%), married (71.60%), illiterates (68.33%) with nuclear families (70%). 42.50% of them were farm laborers. Maximum percentage of the sample (47.50%), were landless or small/marginal farmers below the poverty line.