Volume : 5, Issue : 6, June - 2016

RURAL WOMEN EMPOWERMENT THROUGH REGIONAL RURAL BANKS

Dr. A. Sudharsana Reddy, Dr. M. Padmavathi

Abstract :

<p>&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;Regional Rural Banks are singing an imperative task in rural development in India. Women development cell was establishing in RRBs local area anches. These anches mainly focus on the issue of the SHGs loans through bank linkage programme. The RRBs are playing a vital role in development of rural areas through rural women empowerment. During the year 2011-12 NABARD have sanctioned limits of 13,925.66 crores to 81 RRBs as against 9,799.69 crores sanctioned to 80 RRBs in 2010- 11. The small beginning of linking only 500 SHGs to banks in 1992, had grown to over 0.5 million SHGs by March 2002 and further to 8 million SHGs by March 2012. Together the 8 million SHGs of the poor maintain a balance of over 6,550 crores in the Savings Bank accounts with the Banks, while they are estimated to have harnessed savings of over 22,000 crore of which nearly 70 per cent (over 15,000 crore) goes for internal lendings. Over 4.4 million SHGs are regularly availing credit facilities from the Banks. During 2011-12 alone, over 1.15 million Groups availed loans amounting to 16,535 crore from Banks and together 4.4 million Groups have loans to the extent of 36,340 crore outstanding against them with the financing banks as on 31.3.2012.&lt;/p&gt;</p>