WOMEN EMPOWERMENT THROUGH SHG-BANK LINKAGE PROGRAMMES -

Any sustainable development has equity as its base. To ensure this women-focused development is a pre-requisite. Though women constitute predominant segment of the population, they have been socially and economically marginalized since long time. Any strategy of development should be inclusive by bringing this segment of population into central stage of growth and development. Empowering these disadvantaged groups has received the attention of development policy makers and strategists all over the world. This chapter is an attempt to present key concepts related to women empowerment and micro-finance, initiatives at various levels to translate these policies into action program, key players in the program, stakeholders, pros and cons of empowering women by provision of microfinance through SHG.