Self-Help Group Movement An Instrument of Livelihood Security (A Case Study of Tribal Households in Bankura District)

Abstract

This study has examined the contribution of the Self-Help Groups (SHGs) on livelihood security of the tribal households having minimal livelihood resources. We have considered systematic and safe savings and access to affordable credit as livelihood security avenues and household expenditure on food and nutrition, on hygiene and health care and on education as outcomes of livelihood security. A set of primary data collecteq. from one hundred tribal households residing in Raipur block of Bankura district, West Bengal has been used for empirical analysis. The systematic analysis reveals that the SHG member and non-member households occupy almost same level oflivelihood resources but the SHG member households in contrast to the non-members have come forward to have access to livelihood security avenues. However, the SHG member and the non-member households are statistically indifferent in terms of livelihood security outcomes.