International Research Journal of Education and Technology

Self-Help Groups is the most successful micro- finance enterprises in India. It has not only improved the financial status of the rural poor but it has also improved he social status. . Self Group Groups (SHGs) also play an important role to increasing women’s literacy levels, improving health care, better family planning, enhancing banking literacy among women’s,  eradicating various social evils practice such as dowry, alcoholism, child marriage, gender biasness, corruption through social audits. The main objective of this research work to find the level of awareness of functioning of registered Self-Help Groups among women’s in rural areas of Malda district,  to find out the rate of employment generated through registered Self-Help Groups, give valuable suggestion for better improvement of working profile and standard of living among the SHGs members. Malda district of West Bengal has been selected as study area, whuch is also called Gateway of North Bengal and Valley of Mango. The study is based on secondary sources of data. The result of the study shows that In our country India maximum SHGs workers/ members are found in the state of Bihar, West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Tamilnadu etc. because in these states density of population is very high and majority of  peoples belongs to rural areas etc. Their study also reveals that NABARD, Malda District Central Co-operative Bank Limited, Mahila Sangha Cooperative Society play a significant role in loan distribution to the SHGs in the study area.   The researcher suggested that Ministry of Rural Development, Government of India should appoint a “Brand Ambassador” of this flagship programmes for more promotion to reach at mass level.

Key Words (Index Term): Self-Help Groups, Loans, Standard of Living, Poverty Alleviation, Trainings, Community Development