This study investigates the role of women’s self-help groups (SHGs) in fostering rural reconstruction through empowerment in Jharkhand, India. Drawing on primary survey data from 105 SHG members in Giridih district, we employ a logistic regression model to analyse how participation in SHGs influences women’s economic autonomy, social mobility and decision-making power within households. Results indicate that income enhancement and awareness of legal rights significantly increase women’s participation in household decision-making and community-level dispute resolution. By situating these findings within Rabindranath Tagore’s vision of rural reconstruction and India’s contemporary agenda of Atmanirbhar Bharat , the study demonstrates how SHGs bridge historical ideals and modern development policy. We argue that SHGs are not only microfinance institutions but also agents of socio-political transformation. The article contributes to debates on grassroots empowerment by providing empirical evidence and policy insights for strengthening SHG-based interventions in rural development.
Pathak et al. (2026) studied this question.