Author(s): Reena Kumari and Dr. Priyanka Kumari

Abstract:
Women are nearly half of the population of India (NFHS-5, 2020-2021). But from early times women's condition was very critical in various aspects such as social, cultural, and political restrictions. Self-help groups (SHGs) are a great initiative of government which are playing an important role in changing the lives of women in rural areas. Bihar Rural Livelihood Promotion Society (BRLPS) locally known as JEEViKA, is an autonomous body under the Rural Development Department of the Government of Bihar with the objective of social and economic empowerment of rural poor. Now SHG is considered as one of the most significant tools in implementing the participatory approach towards empowerment of women in various aspects. The study aims to analyze the role of self-help group women in social change. The study was conducted in Makhdumpur and Kako block of Jehanabad District of Bihar. This study was based on Secondary data. Secondary data were collected from Annual reports, statistical supplements, and operational statistics of Bihar State, the Government Website, and published sources including Government publications. The number of SHGs in Makhdumpur is 2923(35,518women) and in Kako 2150 (25,187 women) along with 12,504 (148,348 women) in Jehanabad district. More than 90 percent of SHG have a bank account and availing various benefits of various funds. There was a great change in the life of women towards achieving social harmony, social justice, educational development, cultural development, skill development, and entrepreneurship development (More than 50% of women self-employed and at Cluster Federation Level: Customer hiring center, Community Library and Career development Centre and GraminBajzar, etc) with better health and Nutritional awareness which are ultimately leading to economic and nutritional security. In other words, it also applies to the changes in the material aspects of life and the ideas, values, and attitudes of the people in society.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.22271/23957476.2024.v10.i3a.1666