Inter-Regional Variations in the Process of Promoting Socio-Economic Empowerment of the Tribal Women through Self Help Groups (SHGs) Activities

This study analyses that the SHGs have expanded avenues for tribal women to improve their socio-demographic and economic conditions by way of adoption of family planning methods and have awareness about promoting their health and literacy levels. On the whole, it is clear that the tribal women are able to improve control over their freedom to move and interact, leadership, and reproductive choices, to some extent. Thus there is improvement with regard to social empowerment. But, there is no improvement in power with the dimension of social empowerment. On the whole, it is clear that tribal women are able to improve control over their labour, resources, savings, credit and income and freedom to move and interact. Thus there is improvement with regard to economic power to the dimension of empowerment. However, the positive impact on their economic and living conditions is not much found in the interior hill tract villages and found in a relatively better position in the roadside villages in plain areas. From the major findings of the study, it is revealed that tribal women are able to improve control over their labour, resources, savings, credit and income, freedom to move and interact leadership, and reproductive choices. SHG approaches are influencing economic, social, and political and eventually empower the poor tribal women.  The SHG activities are positively helping the poor tribal women for their comprehensive development.