1. AWARENESS AND USE OF INSTITUTIONAL RESOURCES AND GOVERNMENT PROGRAMMES : A STUDY OF ECONOMICALLY WEAKER GROUP OF WOMEN OF KARNATAKA STATE Prof. P. G. Tadasad Professor and Chairman Department of PG Studies & Research in Library & Information Science, Karnataka State Women’s University, Jnana Shakti Campus, Torvi, Vijayapura, Karnataka and Dr. Shobha Patil UGC Post Doctoral Fellow Department of PG Studies & Research in Library & Information Science, Karnataka State Women’s University, Jnana Shakti Campus, Torvi, Vijayapura, Karnataka

2. INTRODUCTION Institutional sources play a vital role in disseminating information to economically weaker group of women. Women consult various institutional resources for supporting their information requirements. Preferred Institutional Sources are Associations and Learned Organizations, Self Help Groups, Gram Panchayat Office, Non Government Organizations, Library, Research Center, Government office, etc. Government of Karnataka disseminate information through various departments. Government of Karnataka has provided all their information on their website and also some useful links which will help citizens to get more information on the state.

3. OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY To study the awareness and use of institutional resources of economically weaker group of women of Karnataka State. To identify the awareness and use of Government programmes by economically weaker group of women of Karnataka State.

4. METHODOLOGY Survey method of research using structured interview schedule has been adopted for the present study. Study population was chosen adopting multistage sampling that combines cluster method with stratified technique. 1800 respondents from 60 villages of all 30 districts of the state participated in the study.

5. DATA ANALYSIS Characteristics No Income N= 616 (34.2%) 200 to 500 N= 505 (28.1%) 501 above N= 679 (37.7%) Total Age Less than 25106 (17.2)45 (8.9)71 (10.5)222 (12.3) 26 to 35309 (50.2)184 (36.4)258 (38.0)751 (41.7) 36 to 45148 (24.0)185 (36.6)244 (35.9)577 (32.1) 46 above53 (8.6)91 (18.1)106 (15.6)250 (13.9) Educational qualification Illiterate96 (15.6)253 (50.1)291 (42.9)640 (35.6) Primary Education128 (20.8)162 (32.1)214 (31.5)504 (28.0) Secondary Education284 (46.1)75 (14.9)137 (20.2)496 (27.6) Diploma, Degree108 (17.5)15 (2.9)37 (5.4)160 (8.8) Social Category GM261 (42.4)172 (34.1)274 (40.4)707 (39.3) OBC146 (23.7)145 (28.7)200 (29.5)491 (27.3) SC/ST209 (33.9)188 (37.2)205 (30.1)602 (33.4) Occupation Farmer0 (0)93 (18.3)207 (30.5)300 (16.7) Business0 (0)17 (3.4)54 (7.9)71 (3.9) House wife614 (100.0)0 (0) 614 (34.1) Labour0 (0)397 (78.3)418 (61.6)815 (45.3) Table 1: Characteristics of study population(N=1800)

6. Consultation Income No Income200 to 500501 aboveTotal Yes282 (45.8)170 (33.7)298 (43.9)750 (41.7) No334 (54.2)335 (66.3)381 (56.1)1050 (58.3) Total616 (34.2)505 (28.1)679 (37.7)1800 (100.0) Table 2: Consultation of institutional resources: Income of women Institutional Resources Income No IncomeRank200 to 500Rank501 aboveRankTotalRank Government Office87 (4.8)452 (2.9)499 (5.5)4238 (13.2)4 Library19 (1.1)53 (0.2)612 (0.7)634 (1.9)6 Self Help Groups179 (9.9)2117 (6.5)1185 (10.3)2481 (26.7)2 Non-Govt. Organization13 (0.7)615 (0.8)554 (3.0)582 (4.6)5 Gram Panchayat Office120 (6.7)365 (3.6)3125 (6.9)3310 (17.2)3 Associations & Learned Organizations 195 (10.8)1117 (6.5)1214 (11.9)1526 (29.2)1 Research Centre0 (0)- -4 (0.2)7 7 Table 3: Institutional resources consulted: Income of women

7. Response Income No Income200 to 500501 aboveTotal Yes276 (44.8)162 (32.1)276 (40.6)714 (39.7) No340 (55.2)343 (67.9)403 (59.4)1086 (60.3) Total616 (34.2)505 (28.1)679 (37.7)1800 (100.0) Table 4: Institutional resources as information supporting agency: Income of women Response Income No Income200 to 500501 aboveTotal Yes470 (76.3)348 (68.9)478 (70.4)1296 (72.0) No146 (23.7)157 (31.1)201 (29.6)504 (28.0) Total616 (34.2)505 (28.1)679 (37.7)1800 (100.0) Awareness of Government Programmes Table 5 : Awareness of Government programmes: Income of women

8. Government programmes Income No Income200 to 500501 aboveTotal Self Help Groups414 (23.0)325 (18.1)440 (24.4)1179 (65.5) Women Development Schemes198 (11.0)100 (5.6)196 (10.9)494 (27.4) Women's Commission156 (8.7)71 (3.9)157 (8.7)384 (21.3) Mahila Samakhya133 (7.4)75 (4.2)122 (6.8)330 (18.3) Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan241 (13.4)132 (7.3)203 (11.3)576 (32.0) Women's Co-operative Associations136 (7.6)87 (4.8)116 (6.4)339 (18.8) Women Bank113 (6.3)56 (3.1)94 (5.2)263 (14.6) Social Welfare Development138 (7.7)50 (2.8)95 (5.3)283 (15.7) Vanitha Sahaya vani108 (6.0)39 (2.2)83 (4.6)230 (12.8) Department of Women and Child Development225 (12.5)134 (7.4)177 (9.8)536 (29.8) Santhwana Schemes106 (5.9)68 (3.8)114 (6.3)288 (16.0) Karnataka Women’s Development Programme44 (2.4)18 (1.0)38 (2.1)100 (5.6) Financial Assistance for the Remarriage of Destitute Widows and Marriages of Devadasis 12 (0.7)6 (0.3)16 (0.9)34 (1.9) Daycare Centers for children’s of working women6 (0.3)0 (0)11 (0.6)17 (0.9) International women's day and Kittur Rani Channamma Prashasti4 (0.2)2 (0.1)5 (0.3)11 (0.6) Financial help for Women's Associations6 (0.3)4 (0.2)13 (0.7)23 (1.3) Girls Hostels43 (2.4)24 (1.3)31 (1.7)98 (5.4) To start women’s associations to eradicate social evils like dowry ; child marriage 5 (0.3)0 (0)8 (0.4)13 (0.7) Karnataka State Women's Development corporation6 (0.3)3 (0.2)10 (0.6)19 (1.1) Development Programmes for Women to start Industries3 (0.2)2 (0.1)5 (0.3)10 (0.6) Rehabilitate Programmes for Devadasis17 (0.9)10 (0.6)23 (1.3)50 (2.8) Knowledge of market (APMC)11 (0.6)15 (0.8)38 (2.1)64 (3.6) Udyogini28 (1.6)13 (0.7)57 (3.2)98 (5.4) Development Programmes for Rural women44 (2.4)19 (1.1)63 (3.5)126 (7.0) Norad scheme23 (1.3)7 (0.4)43 (2.4)73 (4.1) Support for Training and Employment Programme for women83 (4.6)44 (2.4)113 (6.3)240 (13.3) Arogya Kavacha393 (21.8)266 (14.8)391 (21.7)1050 (58.3) Bhagyalakshmi416 (23.1)323 (17.9)440 (24.4)1179 (65.5) Table 6: Awareness of Government programmes related to women: Income of women

9. Sources of Information Income No Income Rank200 to 500Rank 501 above RankTotalRank Radio92 (5.1)1046 (2.6)12111 (6.2)8249 (13.8)10 Newspapers154 (8.6)749 (2.7)1189 (4.9)10292 (16.2)8 Government Office51 (2.8)1324 (1.3)1345 (2.5)13120 (6.7)13 ZP/ZP Members2 (0.1)162 (0.1)148 (0.4)1512 (0.7)15 Neighbours396 (22.0)2310 (17.2)1411 (22.8)21117(62.1)2 Family Members282 (15.7)4206 (11.4)4264 (14.7)4752 (41.8)4 Gramsabha Members109 (6.1)958 (3.2)8127 (7.1)7294 (16.3)7 Social Workers178 (9.9)5172 (9.6)5239 (13.3)5589 (32.7)5 Television377 (20.9)3240 (13.3)3329 (18.3)3946 (52.6)3 Friends408 (22.7)1298 (16.6)2414 (23.0)11120(62.2)1 Gram Panchayat Office87 (4.8)1153 (2.9)1089 (4.9)10229 (12.7)11 Public Library9 (0.5)142 (0.1)1410 (0.6)1421 (1.2)14 Academic Library5 (0.3)152 (0.1)143 (0.2)1610 (0.6)16 Associations/ Institutions 160 (8.9)6110 (6.1)6182 (10.1)6452 (25.1)6 Concerned Staff70 (3.9)1256 (3.1)985 (4.7)12211 (11.7)12 Teachers110 (6.1)871 (3.9)7111 (6.2)8292 (16.2)8 Table 7: Sources of information to know the Government programmes: Income of women

10. Usefulness Income No Income200 to 500501 aboveTotal Mediocre415 (23.1)323 (17.9)416 (23.1)1154 (64.1) Good55 (3.1)25 (1.4)59 (3.3)139 (7.7) Excellent0 (0) Table 8: Usefulness of available information on Government programmes: Income of women

11. ProblemsNumberPercentage Lack of Awareness82545.84 Illiteracy63835.44 Lack of Communication and Dissemination of Information57832.11 Non-availability of updated information from the Government67937.72 Lack of orientation / hands on experience at village level45825.44 Lack of Information in local language67837.67 Lack of knowledge to get information from proper person48627.00 Local authorities are not giving right information and misleading the people47826.56 Not getting the right or proper information from the concerned officer and institutions25614.22 Lack of Social Worker to give proper information24813.78 Not getting information from Grampanchayat23312.94 Lack of Anganawadi Teachers to get information18610.33 Negligence of the Government due to economic crisis45725.39 Lack of Human Resources65336.28 Lack of Time43624.22 Delay in Implementations Programmes from the Government32618.11 Lack of Transportation24413.56 Not getting cooperation of the family34219.00 Discourage of the Staff24313.5 Not having close communication with people73240.67 Lack of Encouragement43824.33 Not getting information within the proper time23613.11 Not getting Daily Newspapers21912.17 Not having Internet Facilities261.44 Lack of Library Facilities28715.94 Lack of Computer Facilities1377.61 Table 9: Problems encountered in obtaining information for economically weaker women

12. DISCUSSIONS AND CONCLUSION The government produces a good amount of information. Such information should be quickly brought to the notice of the users through the proposed facilities. This is only possible when the Government officials and other concerned people become more alert in this matter. A nation can never go ahead keeping a section of its citizens lagging behind. Hence every effort should be made to improve the condition of our rural folk and for that proper information infrastructure has to be build up at any cost. Public Libraries may organize some seminars, informal talks, lectures, workshops, etc. on the various major issues. The focus should be on improving information exchange through better information systems and services so as to provide right information to the right people in the right format and at the right time.