The Self Help Group (SHG) Bank Linkage Programme (SBLP), which is India’s own innovation, has proved to be one of the most effective poverty alleviation and women empowerment programmes. Elucidate.
UPSC repeatedly asks whether SHGs and microfinance reduce poverty and empower women, SHG-Bank Linkage, socio-cultural hurdles, and accountability of microfinance.
What to cover
SHG-BLP and NRLM (DAY-NRLM)
Successes: Kudumbashree, Jeevika
Limits: debt traps, elite capture, social barriers
Regulation of MFIs
Writing the answer
Link women (GS1), development actors (GS2) and financial inclusion (GS3)
These notes are for the whole theme, built from all 6 of its PYQs. UPSC does not publish model answers.