Is SHG a powerful tool to improve the socio-economic status of unprivileged? empirical evidence

Self help groups (SHGs) have gained popularity because this method works based on the concept of team-work and it works to attain an objective i.e. improving the socio-economic status of the team members. This movement started by the people who has desire to meet their needs and determine their own destinies based on the principle “by the people, for the people and of the people.” The present study is carried on to analyze the impact on socio-economic status of the members at town level and rural level. To fulfil this objective, the study collected the data both on primary and secondary data. The secondary data was used for the conceptual frame work of the SHGs and primary data was used to know the opinion of the members of SHGs about the impact of socio-economic status after joining the SHGs. The sample size was used 120 SHG members i.e. the total of the sample size was bifurcated fifty per cent each from town and rural of Mysore District. The statistical tools used were percentage analysis and chi-square test. Compared to town SHG members, the rural SHG members strongly agreed that there is a great positive impact on their socio-economic status after joining the SHG.