KARNATAKA - of Planning Commission

Gender and Human Developmentdifferences between women engaged in similaractivities. One may be a good entrepreneur andanother may lack initiative (Mayoux, 1997). 4Hence, it is diffi cult to expect identical outcomesfrom all microfi nancing SHGs.Economic benefitsOften, a microfi nance scheme is judged purelyin terms of mobilisation of savings, lending andrepayment. The larger issue of reducing women’seconomic exploitation by either the market or herfamily is not factored when preparing report cardseven while organisers loudly proclaim the schemeis emancipating. Emancipation, however, does notjust happen as a by-product of microfi nance.Members reported an improvement in incomesand the percentage of BPL members wentdown from 87 per cent to 77.2 per cent whilethe percentage of members above the povertyline (APL) increased from 13 per cent to 22.8per cent. As Table 8.22 reveals, the number ofwomen with a monthly income below Rs.1,000declined by 18 per cent while the numbers inall other income categories increased, i.e. by12 per cent in categories two and three, and by asmuch as 26 per cent in category four.After such improvements, husbands’ contributionsto family income have sometimes come down buthere an overwhelming 90 per cent said it did nothappen.Linkages with other governmentprogrammesSHGs are encouraged to avail of benefi tsunder various government programmes, theassumption being that they are now morearticulate and aware of what they can accessunder government schemes and have the abilityto get resources from departments. This is notalways the case. Only a quarter had participatedin mass literacy campaigns, health campaigns,and the midday meal scheme (Akshara Dasoha)respectively, 15 per cent were involved withthe public distribution system (PDS), and lessthan 10 per cent in watershed development,desilting tanks, SGSY and other employmentgenerationactivities. Overall, the level oflinkages and interface with existing programmesis low.Control over moneyFor concrete economic empowerment to takeplace, women should ideally have autonomy overtheir own incomes. The survey looked at economicautonomy from two perspectives: freedom tospend and control over savings. In each category,the number of women reporting full autonomywent up considerably (Table 8.5.3).Members’ autonomy in family decision-makingincreased most remarkably with reference toconstruction/repair of their houses where thepercentage of members making the decisionon their own shot up from 3.3 to 80.2 percent. Consultation with family before buyinghousehold articles decreased only marginally from71.3 to 68.2 per cent and actually increased,from 72.5 to 83.7 per cent when buying durablegoods. Overall, members’ dependence on ‘others’came down thereby pushing up the percentage ofmembers who made decisions on their own from14.5 to 25.7 per cent regarding buying householdNo. of SHGMembersTABLE 8.5.2SHG members reporting an improvement in monthly income afterjoining the groupCategory 1:< Rs.1,000Category 2:Rs.1,000-1,500Category 3:Rs.1,500-2,500Category 4:Rs.2,500 and aboveBefore After Before After Before After Before AfterNumbers 1846 1505 894 1004 896 1009 448 566Percentage 45.20 36.90 21.90 24.60 22.00 24.70 11.00 13.904Linda Mayoux, 1997, ‘The Magic Ingredient? Microfi nance and Women’s Empowerment’ http://www.gdrc.org/icm/wind/magic.html.202