Decline in defaults on credit given to women-led self-help groups

Data showed that even after the NRLM change, there were wide regional variations in the extent of loans given to women-led groups turning bad

At a time when the overall banking sector is grappling with the problem of bad loans, official data holds out hope in at least one segment —  largely unorganised self-help groups (SHGs) led by women and doing small-scale economic activity.

Non-performing assets (NPAs) as a percentage of total loans given to women-led SHGs in January 2018 were 2.55 per cent. From a high of almost 26 per cent before bank linkages were introduced under the National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM)  around 2013. 

If both pre- and post-NRLM periods are taken together, NPAs as a percentage of total loans