A Comprehensive Study of Financial Facilities to SHGs for Sustainable Growth in India: State and Social Category Perspectives

This paper is based on descriptive analysis of the Self-Help Groups (SHGs) in the various states and union territories of the India. It examines key indicators such as the number of SHGs formed, households mobilized, social category-wise participation and fund allocations. The study highlights disparities across states by comparing performance. These insights serve as diagnostic tools for identifying areas needing targeted policy interventions. This paper is divided into four sections. The first section will help us to understand the concept and significance of SHGs in the Indian context. The second section is based on the review of relevant literature and identifies critical research gaps, especially regarding state-wise and social category-wise analysis. The third section, divided into three subsections, presents empirical findings: (i) a comparative analysis of SHG formation and household mobilization across states; (ii) participation trends based on social categories (SC, ST, OBC, and Others); and (iii) a year-wise analysis of central government fund allocations under NRLM and NRETP, highlighting growth trends over four years. The final section synthesizes the key findings and offers a broader perspective for future research and policy formulation.