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@article{188723,
        author = {Prachi Lad and Dr. Shobha Menon},
        title = {An Overview of Self-Help Groups in Palghar District},
        journal = {International Journal of Innovative Research in Technology},
        year = {2025},
        volume = {12},
        number = {7},
        pages = {3217-3223},
        issn = {2349-6002},
        url = {https://ijirt.org/article?manuscript=188723},
        abstract = {Self-Help Groups (SHGs) play a vital role in decentralized rural enterprise creation by enabling community-led production, local employment, skill innovation, and market-linked entrepreneurship in Palghar District, Maharashtra. While many SHGs actively engage in product-based ventures, there is a need to systematically examine market demand dynamics and the extent of product innovation within these group-led enterprises. The present study focuses on product-centric SHG units across multiple blocks of Palghar, utilizing secondary data drawn from approximately 40–45 registered and functional SHGs. The dataset captures product categories, raw material usage, frequency of production cycles, packaging approaches, sales channels, consumer reach, demand responsiveness, and innovation patterns in product design, processing, and marketing.
The study adopts a market-demand assessment lens, evaluating product acceptance, customer repeat-purchase behaviour, competitive visibility, innovation in offerings, product differentiation, and adaptability to local buyer needs. Initial insights suggest that SHGs dealing in processed foods, indigenous craft, household utilities, and locally sourced handmade products demonstrate moderate to high demand traction, particularly when innovation is applied in product features, design, and value-addition. However, structural constraints such as limited branding penetration, discontinuous supply cycles, unorganized pricing strategies, and restricted market linkages slow large-scale diffusion of SHG products. The study is expected to provide input for strengthening demand-driven product innovation models and optimizing SHG market link efficiency.},
        keywords = {SHG, Product and innovation, Palghar district.},
        month = {December},
        }