Presented by

Milind Sathye
Professor of Banking and Finance
Faculty of Business, Government and Law
University of Canberra

Abstract
The study funded under the Australia India Institute competitive research grant scheme has three aims: (a) to assess the level of microfinance usage amongst rural women and specifically among tribal women and Muslim women (target group) under the Self-Help-Group Bank Linkage program (SBLP) in India and the extent of their unmet demand; (b) to evaluate the impact of micro finance under SBLP on women, particularly target group, to understand the barriers to financial inclusion and women empowerment and (c) to identify the key drivers of financial inclusion and women’s empowerment and develop a conceptual model of inter-relationships between these drivers and their impact and validate it through an empirical analysis to inform future economic interventions and government policy. We analysed relevant secondary data and interviewed 300 women respondents in the two Indian states of Arunachal Pradesh and West Bengal. We also interviewed over 15 bank/government/NGO officials, conducted focus group discussion, cash flow study of rural households and undertook case studies of microfinance institutions.

We found that in both the states access to finance is poor. Several barriers such as distance of bank branch, lack of suitable insurance products, near total absence of financial advice affect access to finance. We found that policies of the state government are major drivers of financial inclusion. Access to insurance services has major influence on women’s empowerment.
 

When

27 January 2012
12:00pm - 1:00pm

Where

University Centre, BLD (06_03_23)
Bond University

Contact Information

These events are open to Bond University staff and students.

For more information please contact:

Catherine Smith
Database and Research Support
Faculty of Business
Telephone: +61 7 5595 55721
Bond University | Gold Coast, Queensland, 4229, Australia