ROLE OF WOMEN IN ECONOMIC & SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT: A STUDY CONDUCTED IN MYSURU

Women play a crucial role in the economic and social development of society through their participation in income-generating activities, community organisations, and decision-making processes. This study examines the multidimensional role of women in the economic and social development of Mysuru district, Karnataka, with particular emphasis on economic participation, involvement in community organisations, and awareness of government welfare schemes. Adopting a quantitative research design, primary data were collected from 62 women respondents using a structured questionnaire and convenience sampling. The study investigates the influence of enabling factors such as family support, education, financial access, and skill development on women's economic empowerment and their utilisation of government initiatives, including MUDRA and Karnataka Udyogini schemes. Descriptive statistics, Spearman's rank correlation, and the Chi-square test of independence were employed to analyse the data and test the hypotheses. The findings reveal a significant positive relationship between family support and access to financial services, as well as a significant association between educational opportunities and women's contribution to household income, leading to the rejection of the null hypotheses. Education, financial inclusion, and skill development emerged as the key drivers of women's economic participation, while occupation type showed no significant association with income or participation in skill training. The study concludes that strengthening education, financial literacy, vocational training, and the effective grassroots implementation of government welfare schemes can substantially enhance women's socio-economic status in Mysuru district and contribute to evidence-based, gender-responsive policymaking.