• Geetika Kalita
• Dr. Seema S. Singha

Micro industrial activities in their traditional form persisted since historic times in Assam aiming at fulfillment of family requirements and to meet local consumer demands. But, the emergence of such industrial activities with a commercial thrust, large scale production and trading activities is of very recent origin. Lack of scope for occupational diversification, over-employment in the agricultural sector and ever growing unemployment act as motivational agents for the workforce in the rural areas to initiate micro-industrial activities on a commercial basis. By 2010, a large number of SHGs have grown-up covering mostly the unorganized workforce including the housewives to initiate productive activities in the form of organised groups. Even if, a section of SHGs is involved, exclusively in monetary business, quite a good number of such organisations opted for micro industrial activities. The SHGs which are involved in micro industrial activities not only motivated the rural workforce to start industrial activities, but also as a driving force behind the growth of rural economy as a whole. Presently, the SHGs of rural Kamrup are found to be involved in three types of micro industrial activities- food processing, handloom fabrication and bamboo and cane craft. The present work investigates into the role of the SHGs of rural areas in generating employment and income through industrial activities. It is observed that over last four decades, the SHGs succeed in elevating rural economy of Kamrup district to a significant extent through generating employment and income and creating group industrial activities in community industrial centers.

SHG, Rural economy, Food processing, micro-industrial enterprise, Rural workforce.

"Role of Self Help Groups (SHGs) in generating micro-industrial activities in the rural areas of Kamrup district", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.6, Issue 5, page no.242-248, May-2019, Available :http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR1905V93.pdf

"Role of Self Help Groups (SHGs) in generating micro-industrial activities in the rural areas of Kamrup district", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org | UGC and issn Approved), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.6, Issue 5, page no. pp242-248, May-2019, Available at : http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR1905V93.pdf