As per information compiled by National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD), as on 31st March 2017, 85.77 lakh Self Help Groups (SHGs) have saving deposits of over ₹ 16,114 crore with banks. It is estimated that these SHGs cover more than 10 crore rural households. As reported by NABARD approximately 70% of the total savings of the groups are used for internal lending of the groups and 30% deposited with the Banks i.e. more than double the amount deposited with banks are used for internal lending of groups.

During the last three years, ₹ 94934 crore has been disbursed as loans to Women SHGs at applicable interest rates. Women SHGs in 250 Category-I districts under Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana- National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM) are provided loans at 7% interest per annum with interest incentive of 3% payable on prompt repayment reducing the effective interest to 4% per annum.

This was stated by Shri Santosh Kumar Gangwar, Minister of State for Finance in written reply to a question in Lok Sabha today.