The word “Empowerment” indicates the ability of an individual or a group of people to realize their full identity and power in all spheres of life. It is a popular concept related to the upliftment of the weaker section of society specially in socio-economic and political sphere. Right from the early beginning of human civilization women have been being treated as inferior to men. Inequality between men and women has stood in the way of society’s granting recognition to women. Therefore 50 percent of total world population today is demanding empowerment .Now a days women empowerment is a regularly coined and discussed topic. Empowerment of women denotes the awareness and consciousness of their rights, capabilities and potentialities and understanding as to how socio-economic and political forces affect them and what kind of role they have to play in handling such situation. Economic empowerment of women is one of the important aspects of women empowerment. It is only economic empowerment which can promote the status of women in society, their self confidence, decision making power, self motivation for understanding more activities. Economic empowerment makes a women self dependent and self-reliant. It is a well known fact that socio-economic development of a democratic nation is possible only by the active participation of people in the governmental procedure/administration at the grass root level. Realisng the fact government of India also implemented a number of programmes to fulfill this perpose. The Self Help Group (SHG) concept is supported by Swarnajayanti Gram Swarojgar Yojana (SGSY) that was launched by government of India in 1999. The SHG provided an opportunity to establish a micro-entrepreneurship among the rural poor living Below Poverty Line (BPL). A Woman irrespective of her socio-economic status can be a member of SHGs. The SHGs has emerged as the most successful strategy in the process of development and empowerment of women.
