Self-Help Groups (SHGs) are prominent community-based institutions in India’s rural development framework. This study describes the geographical distribution of women mobilised into SHGs under the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana–National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM), and discusses the implications for women-led rural development within the Viksit Bharat 2047 vision. The study uses official Ministry of Rural Development statistics as of 28 February 2025 for 34 states and Union Territories. IBM SPSS Statistics 20 was used for descriptive statistics, quartiles and rank-based four-group classification. Membership averaged 2,956,588.12 women (SD = 3,626,639.70), with a median of 713,449.50; the recorded range was 4,363 to 12,713,428. The difference between mean and median and the wide interquartile range indicate a markedly unequal distribution of absolute mobilisation totals. These statistics describe programme reach, not changes in household income or individual agency. Drawing on established empirical literature, the paper discusses how credit access, productive skills, market connections and institutional strengthening can translate SHG participation into more sustainable rural development. It recommends complementing membership monitoring with outcome indicators relevant to women-led development.

Index Terms—Self-Help Groups; women-led development; DAY-NRLM; rural livelihoods; financial inclusion; Viksit Bharat 2047.