scholarly journals From financial exclusion to financial inclusion through microfinance: the case of rural Zimbabwe

2014 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 447-455 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patricia Lindelwa Makoni
Keyword(s):  
Rural Communities ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Financial Services ◽  
Rural Population ◽  
Commercial Banks ◽  
Large Population ◽  
Study Data ◽  
Financial Inclusion ◽  
Microfinance Institutions ◽  
Financial Exclusion

This paper sought to shed light on the status of rural banking and financial exclusion in Zimbabwe. Various reasons put forth by existing commercial banks were examined to understand why a large population of the country remains unbanked. These ranged from perceptions of the rural communities being too poor to need financial services to real economic and business decisions. Various literature on banking the poor and success stories from other countries were discussed in the literature. To meet the objectives of the study, data gathered from various individuals, commercial banks and microfinance institutions based in Matabeleland North was analysed. It was found that the rural population is in fact largely bankable. However, due to inadequate basic infrastructure in the rural areas, it did not make business sense for established banks to service that population. Banks exist to make a profit and the burden of ensuring financial inclusion of the rural population was left mainly to microfinance institutions which however faced a serious of challenges ranging.

scholarly journals Modern aspects of the development of financial inclusion in rural areas of the Russian Federation

2021 ◽  
Vol 285 ◽  
pp. 01013
Author(s):  
Svetlana Podgorskaya
Keyword(s):  
Mobile Communications ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Financial Services ◽  
Digital Literacy ◽  
Rural Population ◽  
Information Technologies ◽  
Financial Inclusion ◽  
Digital Inequality ◽  
Low Level ◽  
Special Programs

The article considers financial inclusion as the most important means of achieving sustainable comprehensive economic growth. It is established that in the new model of sustainable development of rural areas, the financial involvement of households and small and medium-sized businesses is of particular importance. However, in Russia, among all segments of the population, the most excluded category from financial and economic interaction is precisely rural residents. The main reasons for this situation are digital inequality in the form of low availability of digital communications (Internet and mobile communications) for the rural population, the low level of digital and financial competencies of the villagers, and the low level of income of rural households. Despite the government’s policy to increase the financial accessibility of banking services and eliminate digital inequality, in regulatory and policy documents, references to rural areas are either indirect or absent. Today, there is a boom in the digitalization of financial services; the level of development of information technologies allows you to create more convenient, efficient and mobile products that do not require visits to bank branches and face-to-face consultations. At the same time, such digitalization can become a threat to the development of financial inclusion in rural areas. In this regard, are needed special programs to improve the financial and digital literacy of the rural population, as well as a system of accessible consulting support on lending issues.

scholarly journals A Legal Analysis of the Use of Innovative Technology in the Promotion of Financial Inclusion for Low-Income Earners in South Africa

2021 ◽  
Vol 24 ◽  
pp. 1-27
Author(s):  
Howard Chitimira ◽  
Phemelo Magau
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Financial Institutions ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Financial Services ◽  
Informal Settlements ◽  
Financial Inclusion ◽  
Innovative Technology ◽  
Financial Exclusion ◽  
The Government

The promotion of financial inclusion is important for the combating of financial exclusion in many countries, including South Africa. Nonetheless, most low-income earners living in rural areas and informal settlements are still struggling to gain access to basic financial products and financial services in South Africa. This status quo has been caused by a number of factors such as the absence of an adequate financial inclusion policy, the geographical remoteness of financial institutions to most low-income earners, rigid identity documentary requirements, a lack of access to reliable and affordable Internet connection by low-income earners living in informal settlements and rural areas, a lack of financial illiteracy, the high costs of financial services, unemployment and poverty, over-indebtedness, and cultural and psychological hindrances to low-income earners in South Africa. Consequently, these factors have somewhat limited the access to financial services offered by financial institutions to low-income earners living in rural areas and informal settlements. In many countries, including South Africa, the financial sector is relying on innovative technology, especially in banking institutions, to aid in the offering of financial services to their customers. It is against this background that this article discusses selected legal and related challenges affecting the regulation and use of innovative technology to promote financial inclusion for low-income earners in South Africa. The article further discusses possible measures that could be adopted by the government, financial institutions and other relevant regulatory bodies to promote the use of innovative technology to combat the financial exclusion of low-income earners in South Africa.

scholarly journals FINANCIAL INCLUSION – ONE STEP CLOSER TO THE EUROZONE?

2019 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 81-90
Author(s):  
Oana Mirela Cojocaru (Diaconescu) ◽  
Otilia Georgiana Floroiu
Keyword(s):  
Rural Areas ◽  
Financial Services ◽  
Personal Development ◽  
Financial Stability ◽  
Financial Education ◽  
Financial Inclusion ◽  
Convergence Criteria ◽  
Self Employment ◽  
Financial Exclusion ◽  
Operational Errors

Factors leading to financial exclusion are primary linked to shortages of financial resources, high costs for financial services, distrust in financial institutions, and lack of financial education. Financial inclusion of the population can sustain economic monetary and financial stability by taking efficient saving and investing decisions or by boosting the performance of an economy. In a responsible financial system, people can safely save money without fearing losing it as a result of fraud, theft, or operational errors, can conduct financial transactions, can take a loan for consumption or for investing in personal development or business idea with a proper understanding of the terms and conditions, and they can insure themselves against any kind of risk. Considering that financial exclusion leads to social exclusion, the need to establish institutions that can offer marginalized categories of the population access to different financing means is obvious, especially in rural areas. People can use financing for self-employment or for implementing entrepreneurial ideas that can generate new jobs and revenue for the community. This paper adds to the existing literature in identifying the existing relations between financial inclusion and economic growth and further investigates if an increase in the level of financial inclusion has an impact on achieving the convergence criteria and therefore entering the Eurozone.

Evaluation of Financial Inclusion Index for accessing Banking Technology through Rural Population from the States of India

2019 ◽  
Vol 118 (8) ◽  
pp. 261-265
Author(s):  
Dr.M. Bhuvana
Keyword(s):  
Rural Areas ◽  
Financial Services ◽  
Rural Population ◽  
Research Study ◽  
Financial Inclusion ◽  
Insurance Company ◽  
Indian Government ◽  
Financial Products ◽  
Reserve Bank ◽  
Reserve Bank Of India

Reserve bank of India has described the term Financial Inclusion as the sequence of activities that has taken place in proving financial services to the most vulnerable people in country at a very low affordable cost. The financial services like assess to financial products such as small deposits and savings, providing basic credit requirements through formal financial institutions like post offices, banks, microfinance institutions and banks. Rural people faces may issues and challenges in using financial products and services to meet their basic needs. Hence this research study has done an analysis to evaluate index of financial inclusion for various states of India with four different types of dimensions like Penetration of Bank Branches in rural areas, Credit Penetration, Deposit and Penetration of Insurance Companies in the rural regions of all the states of India. Different resources namely the website of Reserve Bank of India, Census 2011 data, articles and journals has been utilized to gather the secondary data for the study. The dimensions such as deposit, credit, insurance company penetration and bank branch penetration in rural areas of different states of India has been measured by accessing multidimensional approach to examine financial inclusion index 2018. From the research study, it is found that the states Puducherry, Daman & Diu, Chandigarh and Goa has Financial Inclusion at below average level (between 35-50) and the remaining states in India has financial inclusion at very low level in rural areas (Below 35).As concerned with rural population many states in India has financial inclusion at below average and lower level. The concern authorities from Indian Government should examine those states that are highly eliminated from accessing banking services to restructure the position of financial inclusion

scholarly journals STATUS OF FINANCIAL INCLUSION IN HILLY RURAL AREAS OF UTTARAKHAND: A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF PAURI, CHAMOLI AND RUDRAPRAYAG DISTRICT

2020 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Prashant Kandari
Keyword(s):  
Rural Areas ◽  
Financial Services ◽  
Uttar Pradesh ◽  
The State ◽  
Financial Inclusion ◽  
Primary Data ◽  
Area Deprivation ◽  
Rural Regions ◽  
Financial Exclusion ◽  
The Status

Hill Rural regions of Uttarakhand are inherent part of the state and were the prominent reason on the basis of which Uttarakhand state was carved out of Uttar Pradesh. Unfortunately the underdevelopment of these regions due to the aspect of ‘Area Deprivation’ associated with them has led to emergence of prominent problems like unemployment, lack of income generating opportunities and poverty leading further to a major problem of rural outmigration from them. To raise the economic condition of households of these regions it is important to enhance the income generating opportunities and to provide financial services which could cover up the majority of population with the social security net. The major way out to achieve them is through increase in financial inclusion. The present study through help of primary data examines the level of financial inclusion in the hill rural regions of Uttarakhand for which FII is computed on the basis of 4 dimensions of financial inclusion. The FII of the rural regions of development blocks of hill districts is compared with the FII of the all Indian rural households to examine the status of financial exclusion in hill rural regions of the state.

Harmonising Microfinance With Islamic Banking

2020 ◽  
pp. 240-258
Author(s):  
Shahab Aziz ◽  
Maizaitulaidawati Md Husin ◽  
Muhammad Ashfaq
Keyword(s):  
Financial Services ◽  
Small Businesses ◽  
Commercial Banks ◽  
Financial Inclusion ◽  
Islamic Banking ◽  
Microfinance Institutions ◽  
Related Services ◽  
Banking Institutions ◽  
Islamic Microfinance

While microfinance institutions play a role in the provision of financial services to individuals and small businesses that lack access to banking and related services, the question is: Can this role be taken up solely by the banking institutions? This chapter discusses the performance and application of microfinance institutions and challenges in developing a sustainable microfinance environment. The chapter deliberates the importance of integrating Islamic microfinance with Islamic commercial banks. It is argued that the integration of Islamic microcredit into the banking and credit schemes of Islamic commercial banks and Islamic microfinance institutions is a key to promoting financial inclusion. In addition, the chapter discusses how the Islamic microfinance model can be applied towards improving and humanising society and suggests strategies to improve the sustainability of microfinance institutions.

scholarly journals How does financial literacy impact on inclusive finance?

2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Morshadul Hasan ◽  
Thi Le ◽  
Ariful Hoque
Keyword(s):  
Rural Areas ◽  
Financial Literacy ◽  
Financial Services ◽  
Rural Population ◽  
Poverty Reduction ◽  
Population Data ◽  
Financial Inclusion ◽  
Probit Regression ◽  
Financial Access

AbstractInclusive finance is a core concept of finance that makes various financial products and services accessible and affordable to all individuals and businesses, especially those excluded from the formal financial system. One of the leading forces affecting people's ability to access financial services in rural areas is financial literacy. This study investigated the impacts of financial knowledge on financial access through banking, microfinance, and fintech access using the Bangladesh rural population data. We employed three econometrics models: logistic regression, probit regression, and complementary log–log regression to examine whether financial literacy significantly affects removing the barriers that prevent people from participating and using financial services to improve their lives. The empirical findings showed that knowledge regarding various financial services factors had significant impacts on getting financial access. Some variables such as profession, income level, knowledge regarding depositing and withdrawing money, and knowledge regarding interest rate highly affected the overall access to finance. The study's results provide valuable recommendations for the policymaker to improve financial inclusion in the developing country context. A comprehensive and long-term education program should be delivered broadly to the rural population to make a big stride in financial inclusion, a key driver of poverty reduction and prosperity boosting.

Success of Self Help Group – Bank Linkage Program in India under Financial Inclusion

2016 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ritu Singh
Keyword(s):  
Rural Areas ◽  
Commercial Banks ◽  
Financial Inclusion ◽  
Functional Reach ◽  
Self Help ◽  
Geographical Spread ◽  
The Social ◽  
Linkage Program ◽  
Self Help Group

The ‘social banking’ policies being followed by the country resulted in widening the geographical spread and functional reach of commercial banks in rural areas in the period that followed the nationalization of banks. This paper is concluded with a view that SHG – Bank Linkage program is a success in our country India and helping many people to make their life better.

scholarly journals A Study on the Impact of Schemes and Programmes of Government of India on Agriculture to Increase Productivity, Profitability, Financial Inclusion, and Welfare of Farmers to Transform them into Modern Society

2021 ◽  
pp. 231-243
Author(s):  
Mahesh K. M. ◽  
P. S. Aithal ◽  
Sharma K. R. S.
Keyword(s):  
Rural Areas ◽  
Financial Services ◽  
Modern Society ◽  
Modern Technology ◽  
Mobile App ◽  
Financial Inclusion ◽  
Agricultural Products ◽  
Theoretical Concepts ◽  
The Government ◽  
The Impact

Purpose: The foremost intent of this research article is to create awareness about various schemes for the productive sector of agriculture. Through this study, the level of performance of these agricultural schemes and programmes were analysed that will be helpful for the attainment of financial inclusion. Hence it is necessary to know about various schemes and their making to connect the beneficiaries. Agriculture is the basic source of food supply, production, processing, promotion and distribution. Agricultural products contribute to Gross Domestic Product (G.D.P.) and generate employment in rural areas. They transform the lives of the farmers in modern society. The government of India has introduced Minimum Support Price (MPS), MIF, PMKSY, PMFBY, e-NAM, PM-KISAN, PMJDY, PM-KUSUM, PKVY, NAMS, and MGNREGS. The mobile app KisanSuvidha and innovative programmes like Kisan Rail, KrishiUdaan double the farmers’ Income (DFI). These help in transforming village economy, coverage of irrigation, crop insurance, and stabilizing the income. They also ensure financial support, flow of credit and Direct Benefit transfer of subsidies and funds to beneficiaries. Adopting modern technology, farm-based activity, poultry, dairy, forestry, beekeeping and with the support of SHGs which will directly impact productivity, profitability, financial inclusion, and the welfare of farmers in the 21st century and development of the country’s economy. Design/ methodology/approaches: This study is all about the theoretical concepts based on analysis of various schemes and interconnect. Findings and results: This study reveals that the effectiveness of various agricultural programs and also identifies the benefits and beneficiaries of these schemes. Under this research, various financial services, subsidies, funds released, online platform for agricultural products, funds for micro-irrigation, and so on benefits provided by the government of India were studied. Originality/value: Analysed the various schemes and compelled its beneficiaries and develop a modern to achieve financial inclusion and economic growth through the study. Type of Paper: Research Analysis.

scholarly journals ROLE OF TECHNOLOGY IN FINANCIAL INCLUSION IN INDIA

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-5
Author(s):  
Arun.K.V
Keyword(s):  
Rural Areas ◽  
Financial Services ◽  
Business Models ◽  
Formal System ◽  
Financial Inclusion ◽  
Handheld Devices ◽  
Mobile Banking ◽  
Major Step ◽  
Banking Business

Technology and financial inclusion are the popular coinage in banking parleys in the country. While technological upgradation and mobile banking are catching up so fast, financial inclusion is tardy. Financial inclusion is a major agenda for the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). Without financial inclusion, banks cannot reach the un-banked. It is also a major step towards increasing savings and achieving balanced growth. The reach the country is having with technological progress mobile banking has the potential to emerge as a game changer in terms of costs, convenience, and speed of reach. Business models of banks, telecom operators and other stakeholders need to converge. However, the banking industry’s penetration to un-banked areas is still found sluggish. The role of the Indian banker is challenging. At one end of this spectrum lies the demand to achieve financial inclusion as nearly 50 per cent of the population is yet to be covered under the formal system of banking and at the other end lies the task to fulfil the needs of the existing customers. The first priority for banks is to adopt core banking solution (CBS), including all regional rural banks (RRBs). Next, a multi-channel approach using handheld devices, mobiles, cards, micro-ATMs, branches and kiosks can be used. However, it should be ensured that the transactions put through such front-end devices should be seamlessly integrated with the banks’ CBS. In rural areas, where accessibility is a problem, banks are using the microfinance network and business correspondents and facilitators to bring more people under the ambit of banking services. Capitalising on the huge untapped potential in smaller towns and cities and rendering financial services to this segment of people poses a big challenge. Few banks have explored technology solutions to increase the scale of their microfinance portfolios, with the use of smart cards and core banking solutions. KEYWORDS- Technology, Financial Inclusion, Core Banking, Business Correspondents

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