Vol. 2, Issue 9, Part I (2016)

Abstract
All round development and harmonious growth of a nation would be possible only when women are considered as equal partners in progress with men. Poverty is the main obstacle for the improvement of the women. The role of women and the need to empower them are central to human development programs including poverty alleviation. Women empowerment is a progression in which women confront the presented norms and culture, to efficiently encourage their well being. The involvement of women in Self Help Groups (SHGs) made a momentous impact on their empowerment both in social and economical and subsequently political aspects also. The formation of SHGs is not ultimately a micro credit project but an empowerment process. The empowerment of women through SHGs would give benefit not only to the individual women but also for the family and community as a whole through collective action for development. The present study is carried out with the objective to study the role of self help groups in empowerment of rural women in Tumkur and Gubbi taluka of Tumkur district at individual, household and institutional level. This study was complied with the help of secondary data and also primary data. Convenience sampling method was used based on the availability of these members as they were busy with their respective occupations. The primary data was gathered through a structured questionnaire by conducting personal interviews with a total of 133 members, 68 from 29 SHGs in Tumkur and 65members 17 SHGs in Gubbi taluka. The secondary data has been collected from various annual reports of government organisations, MYRADA, NABARD and other available material from various journals. Paired T- test was used to determine whether there is any change in the involvement and decision making capabilities at various levels before and after joining the SHG. It was found that there are significant changes in the women after joing the SHGs at individual levels and household levels. However at the institutional level, still there needs to be a lot of education, awareness and motivation to be provided for better participation.