An In-Depth Study on Self-Help Groups in Gir Somenath District of Gujarat, India

Abstract

Self-help Groups (SHGs) of women are voluntary associations of economically backward women who pool savings, lend to each other, and later access bank credit as a group. They are the backbone of India's rural microfinance and the main delivery vehicle for women-led development. SHGs are now popular in rural areas of India, as millions of households are involved in economic activities. The Government of India and respective state governments have been promoting SHGs in rural India.    

The study was carried out at Borvav village, Talala block, Gir Somenath district of Gujarat in the first week of July 2026. It is evident from the study that if rural economically backward women under the umbrella of Self-help Groups (SHGs; henceforth, SHG will be used) are appropriately guided and supported with backward and forward linkages, they will earn income, whatever their qualification. The income is used for the welfare of the households, and with the earnings of women members, their living standards are enhanced.  

PRA (earlier known as Participatory Rural Appraisal) as a methodology and Group Discussion as a tool were used to conduct the survey. For this purpose, three different SHGs were selected and studied.