Impact Of Bandhan Bank Microfinance On Economic Empowerment Of Rural Women, Assam

Abstract

Empowerment of women is very much important for the development of an economy. Bandhan bank microfinance plays an important role in women empowerment and provides micro-loan to the marginal business owners, who have not benefited from the traditional money lenders such as banks with minimum interest. The study was undertaken to examine the impact of Bandhan bank microfinance on economic empowerment of the rural women in Assam. The study was based on both primary and secondary data. The primary data were collected from Dhemaji district of Assam through interview of liability group members. A total of 90 members from 3 liability groups of three villages of one development block formed the sample size of the study. The study reveals that income, savings and employment days of the respondents have gone up after benefiting from the Bandhan bank microfinance. The calculated value of paired t-test for the economic indicators were significant. Thus, the study concluded that Bandhan bank microfinance has been playing a major role in empowerment of rural women in the study area.