Micro-Credit (Self-Help group), Dalit Women Inclusive Growth and Development

                Micro-credit (Self-Help group), Dalit women Inclusive growth and Development

                                    

In last three decades, the gospel of micro credit through Gramin Bank model have become part of global legends of development in South Asian countries including India for poverty alleviation, especially for dalit. Historically, the main basis of dalits’ backwardness   is effect of capital deficiency. In India’s eleventh five-year plan, an agenda of inclusive growth is prioritized through household saving and productive investment for capital formation and economic development. Homogenous women group formation following approach of equity, consensus,  democratic culture and voluntary spirit in line of Bangladesh model of Self-Help Group(SHG) is  encouraged  as an ideal,  to promote financial self sufficiency, poverty alleviation, social, economic and political empowerment. SHG is linked to Government, NGO, Commercial Bank and private Microfinance agency for financial support, entrepreneurs, subsidies, training for capacity building etc., for creating the culture of an alternative sustainable development of the poor. An in depth study is conducted on most vulnerable Dalit women’ SHGs members in eight talukas of Nanded district located in backward Marathwada region of Maharashtra. The objectives proposed to understand the extent of financial inclusion in generation of employment, income, improvement quality of life, solution of own varied problems, etc. Karl Marx and Max Weber’s methodological perspectives of capital accumulation and protestant-ethics of capitalism used in comprehending ethics of saving and credit of SHG phenomenon in context of development of Dalits. Ground reality of SHGs outcome reveals alarming; almost negating the goals it set,  like over mental stress, raising under debt trap, pressure for over work, even less wages  at cost of own freedom. The consolation is liberation from family restriction and opportunity of involvement in different social issues having no financial implications in improving living standard.    

Prof. Suprava Khuntia