Abstract :
As in other states in India, SHGs are the predominant mode of microfinance in Orissa. SHGs are
promoted by several agencies under several programs. . Based on all-India data, Orissa ranked
4th in 2010 as well as 2011 in terms of SHGs that have successfully accessed bank loans. Some
SHGs promoted by NGOs and the ICDS system have been federated into SHG federations at
multiple levels. Promotion of Women’s Self-Help Groups (WSHGs) under Mission Shakti has
been a key strategy for achieving women’s empowerment in Orissa. One of the important
objectives of the Mission is to help capacity-building of the existing and the new Groups to be
formed to take up incomegenerating and remunerative economic activities by providing them the
necessary technical support, market linkages and credit linkages, where necessary. SHG
members predominantly invest in small scale agricultural and non-farm activities such as
livestock and poultry rearing, production of lentils and other products for the Government’s Mid-
Day Meal Scheme for school children, and local handicrafts and weaving. As a result of higher
incidence of poverty in the State, the living condition of the people in terms of the development
indicators like literacy rate, infant mortality rate, per capita income, per capita food grain
production, etc. is much below the national average.
