Topic: Role of women and women’s organization
1. Self-Help Groups (SHGs) empower women and make them self-reliant by inculcating the habit of savings and proper use of financial resources. Analyse. (250 words)
Difficulty level: Moderate
Reference: Down to Earth , Insights on India
Why the question:
The Economic Survey 2022-2023, presented by the Union finance minister to Parliament January 31, has a special mention of India’s little-known but high-impact banking operation: the women-led self-help groups (SHG) disbursing billions of rupees every year.
Key Demand of the question:
To write about the role of SHGs in women empowerment and suggest innovative measures to improve their performance.
Directive word:
Analyse – When asked to analyse, you must examine methodically the structure or nature of the topic by separating it into component parts and present them in a summary.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
Start by defining SHGs and the origin and growth of the SHG movement in India.
Body:
First, write about the role played by the SHGs in women empowerment – breaking chains of poverty, collective action, self-employment and financial independence and credit disbursal etc.
Next, write about the various factors which have constrained SHGs from realising their full potential e.g. use of funds for personal use, lack of awareness, digital divide, and lack of financial literacy.
Suggest innovative measures to overcome these- e.g. establishing credit counselling centres in districts.
Conclusion:
Conclude with a way forward.
