Impact of self help groups on attitudes of members

Abstract

An evaluative study was undertaken for measuring the attitude of self help group (SHG) members. Data were solicited from randomly selected 100 SHG members of Patna district, Bihar at two points of time (before and after), i e during 2008 and 2013. The attitude construct was measured by using a Likert-type scale developed by Meena et al. (2008). The study shows a significant improvement in attitude of SHG members on all the five dimensions, viz. socio-economic upliftment; education and training; marketing and entrepreneurship qualities; technology adoption and participatory research; and banking/credit aspects. This favourable attitude of SHG members could be harnessed through knowledge and skill up gradation for diversification towards high value crops for higher incomes. Market information and infrastructure may be helpful to scale up their production and become competitive in the market. The SHGs could be used as an effective mechanism for technology dissemination to support the public extension system, social and mutual learning, institutionalized process of empowerment, conflict management, participatory extension and sustainable and equitable development.