The Ministry of Rural Development is implementing the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana- National Rural Livelihood Mission (DAY-NRLM) and Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) in which Self Help Groups (SHGs) are involved. DAY NRLM has been implemented since 2011 to bring at least one woman from a rural poor household, as per the Socio-Economic Caste Census (2011) data. As of 31st January 2024, about 9.98 crore women households have been mobilised into 90.39 lakh SHGs. Andhra Pradesh has mobilised 8,55,580 SHGs, Assam has mobilised 3,56,601 SHGs, Bihar has created 1096939 SHGs, and many more. When it comes to mobilising rural women, Andhra Pradesh has involved 9066655 women, Assam has mobilised 40,18,731 women, and Bihar has mobilised 1,27,08,238 women. States and Union territories such as Lakshadweep and Ladakh have been able to mobilise the least number of women and SHGs. Lakshadweep has been able to mobilise 4,146 women and 344 SHGs while Ladakh fared slightly better at mobilising 10,844 women and 1,432 SHGs. Under the DAY NRLM, several sub-schemes are being run such as Mahila Kisan Sashaktikaran Pariyojana (MKSP) and Startup Village Entrepreneurship Program (SVEP). The Ministry in collaboration with Government e-Marketplace (GeM) has created the SARAS collection as a storefront to market SHG products and entered MoUs with platforms such as Meesho for the sale and market of these products.
9.98 crore Women households mobilised for SHGs since 2011
