Subrat Kumar Rana
Assistant Professor of Economics
Fakir Mohan College (Autonomous)
Balasore, Odisha
Abstract
This paper seeks to study the impact of Self Help Groups formed under Swarnjayanti Gram Swarozgar Yojana (SGSY) on poverty alleviation on the basis of Field Survey conducted in Balasore District of Odisha. Data relating to pre and post SHG periods were collected from the SHG members on various economic parameters like, employment, income, saving, landholding size, value of household assets, consumption expenditure etc. Analysis of data reveals that there has been a significant increase in the average employment, average annual income, average annual saving, average value of the household assets and average annual consumption expenditure of the sample SHG households of Balasore District in the post SHG period in real terms. However, the income generated through the SHG activities has an insignificant impact on poverty alleviation. Further, emergence of SHGs has not only reduced the dependence of its members on non-institutional credit sources but also reduced the cost of debt through access of the members to the institutional credit agencies. It is also having a positive impact on creating socio-political awareness among its members.
