Financial Literacy Through Self Help Group (SHG) Bank Linkage Programme - A Case Study on Rural Women in Ernakulam District

Abstract

Since the time of classical thinkers like Adam Smith the role of finance in the development of the economy has been realized. Access to finance by all segments of the society is equally important. The objective of the study is to measure and understand financial literacy of the rural women members of the SHG Bank Linkage programme in the Ernakulam District, Kerala. This paper focused on the different dimensions of financial literacy of the members and mainly aimed at the rural women because women can play a vital role in global economic growth as well as men. This paper is based on primary survey which is conducted among the women members in the Ernakulam District, Kerala. A structured interview method is followed for primary data collection. The major finding the study was there exist no difference in financial knowledge and financial attitude between the members and non- members of SHG Bank Linkage Programme and at the same time the financial behavior of the studied sample shows that the level of financial behavior of the members are better than non-members.