Women Empowerment through Self-help Groups (SHGs): Cases from Telangana State

Abstract

This article is based on field study carried out in June 2016 in Nizamabad District of Telangana where it was observed that rural women belonging to all categories of caste with primary education or even illiterate under the banner of self-help groups (SHGs) had been earning not only income but feeling empowered. Almost all were below poverty line (BPL) once upon a time and few during the course of study were also were BPL.  Regrading, empowerment, it was reported that almost all women were attending gram sabha meeting and sharing their views.  Even it was reported that all freely talk to bank managers, block officials and others. In this article few cases are presented based on field study.