India's Self Help Group movement — nurtured through DAY-NRLM and the SHG-Bank Linkage Programme since 1992 — has achieved impressive scale. As of March 2026, 1.43 crore SHGs are linked to bank accounts, with ₹10.03 lakh crore in total bank credit outstanding to SHGs, according to NABARD's annual Status of Microfinance report. 90% of SHG members are women. But the programme's success in creating collective credit access has not translated into individual financial autonomy. Only 19% of rural women in NABARD's survey say they can access individual bank loans without a male household member's signature or guarantee.
SHG-Bank Linkage Programme — Scale and Gaps
- 1.43 crore SHGs linked to banks (March 2026)
- Total outstanding bank credit to SHGs: ₹10.03 lakh crore
- 90% of SHG members are women
- 19% of rural women: individual credit without male co-signer (NABARD, 2026)
- Average SHG loan outstanding: ₹3.8 lakh (group); per-member: ~₹26,500
- 72% of SHG members say the loan decision is made by the male head of household, not them
“The SHG account is in my name. The money is managed by my husband. If I want to take a separate loan from the bank for my tailoring work, they ask for his signature. The collective credit is real. My individual credit is not.”
— Saraswati Devi, SHG member, Sitamarhi district, Bihar
1.43Cr
SHGs linked to banks
₹10L Cr
Outstanding SHG credit
19%
Women with individual credit access
72%
Loans controlled by male HH head
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Meera Pillai
Gender & Society Reporter
Meera covers women's rights, social justice and community action. Based in Kochi, she has reported from all 36 states and UTs.