India envisions a future in which Indian women are independent and self-reliant. In various national policies and developmental programmes, emphasis has been given on organizing women in Self Help Groups and thus, marks the beginning of a major process of empowering women. It is also felt to equip the women with necessary skills in the modern trades, which could make them economically self-reliant. Women must be empowered by enhancing their awareness, knowledge; skills and technology use efficiency, thereby, facilitating overall development of the society. The concept of Self Help Groups (SHGs) is proving to be a helpful instrument for the empowerment of women. Therefore an attempt is made in this paper to find out the performance and appraisal of the Microfinance through Stree Shakthi programme in Karnataka. Stree Shakti is the Karnataka State Governments’ Women's programme, strictly focused on empowerment of rural women and making them financially, socially and politically capable. This paper observes how SHGs of the rural poor particularly those managed by women, successfully demonstrated how to mobilize and manage thrift activities, appraise credit needs, enforce financial disciplines, maintain credit linkage with banks and effectively undertake income generating activities etc.
Self Help Group, Women's economic empowerment, Stree Shakti
