ROLE OF SELF HELP GROUOPS (SHGs) IN WOMEN ENTRPRENEURSHIP

DEVELOPMENT WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO TIRUNELVELI CITY

R.PUSHPA LATHA, PG & Research Department of Commerce,

Sri Sarada College for Women (Autonomous), Tirunelveli-627011

Abstract

Women run successful enterprises, yet persistent gendered inequalities continue to create major
disparities in opportunities to start and grow a business. In general, their businesses tend to be
smaller than those run by men, are concentrated in sectors with limited potential for value
addition and are over-represented in the informal economy. These challenges are compounded
by women’s care responsibilities, which create additional pressure on women entrepreneurs’
time, workload and wellbeing, as well as by unfavourable institutional environments that can
result in uneven access to land and decision-making roles, and inadequate social protection
coverage.The Self Help Group (SHG) program has proven to be an effective program for empow
ering women. SHG provides financial facilities to rural women, assists them in entrepreneurial a
ctivities and inspires women to start new small businesses.Women are participating in training
and capacity building programmes and are utilizing the loan amount for income-generating
activities. SHG members take mutual decisions related to production and marketing. This paper
attempted to explain the role of SHGs in women entrepreneurship development. It highlighted
the opportunities provided through SHGs as well as through different schemes of government for
entrepreneurship development and grow their business.

Key words: Entrepreneurship, Self Help Groups, Government, Economy, Financial facilities.