Effectiveness of Financial Inclusion Initiatives

Author(s):  
K. Sanal Nair ◽  
Saumya Jain

An inclusive financial system has been the major agenda of the Indian government over the past few years and several steps have been taken in this direction. The main purpose of the study is to assess the effectiveness of financial inclusion initiatives taken by Rajasthan government. A questionnaire was drafted and was sent to people from weaker section of the society who have been the beneficiaries of the financial inclusion initiative of the government. Research methodology adopted for the study includes descriptive statistics and one-way ANOVA was used to test the association/non-association between the variables. The study concluded towards lack of awareness and usage of financial inclusion initiatives, especially internet, mobile banking, and credit card. In terms of experience with financial services, respondents were positive towards interest on loans and help received by banking staff with respect to documentation and identification norms as well as branch timings. However, distance from the bank and the availability of ATM was an issue for them.

Author(s):  
Sumarsono ◽  
Abdullah Al-Mudimigh ◽  
Muhammad Anshari

A portmanteau of financial technology (FinTech) centralizes on the innovative use of smart mobile devices to design and deliver financial services and products, elevating an innovative way of delivering financial services. The chapter mainly focuses on the definition and the importance of FinTech to the financial ecosystem especially in the Southeast Asia region. It focuses on how financial technology (FinTech) came to be, how transactions in the past mostly use cash, and then shifted to credit card and then shifted to a cashless transaction, for example using e-wallet or simply using smartphone for any financial transaction. The research found out how the huge percentage of internet users in the Southeast Asia region were the cause of the development of FinTech companies in the region for FinTech startups. It also showed how FinTech helped to provide solutions for financial inclusion, especially unbanked population.


Author(s):  
Sumarsono ◽  
Abdullah Al-Mudimigh ◽  
Muhammad Anshari

A portmanteau of financial technology (FinTech) centralizes on the innovative use of smart mobile devices to design and deliver financial services and products, elevating an innovative way of delivering financial services. The chapter mainly focuses on the definition and the importance of FinTech to the financial ecosystem especially in the Southeast Asia region. It focuses on how financial technology (FinTech) came to be, how transactions in the past mostly use cash, and then shifted to credit card and then shifted to a cashless transaction, for example using e-wallet or simply using smartphone for any financial transaction. The research found out how the huge percentage of internet users in the Southeast Asia region were the cause of the development of FinTech companies in the region for FinTech startups. It also showed how FinTech helped to provide solutions for financial inclusion, especially unbanked population.


2018 ◽  
Vol 4 (5) ◽  
pp. 1
Author(s):  
Akeem Olaide Abimbola

The purpose of this article is to examine the role financial inclusion can play in the reduction of poverty in Nigeria. Financial inclusion which can be explained as access to formal financial services such as credit, savings and insurance opportunities is still very vague in developing countries such as Nigeria where there is high level of poverty. The country has a large number of ‘unbanked’ people whose business activities are not captured in the country’s economic reports. These ‘unbanked’ populaces are illiterates who are either unemployed or under employed and lack access to financial services and information, and are totally excluded in the financial ecosystem and market. It examines the roles of government and financial institutions and the use of various mobile initiatives such as mobile banking, mobile money, agent banking etc. as financial inclusion tools to stimulate poverty reduction. Time series analysis on data obtained from secondary sources between the periods of 1992 and 2016 was adopted by the authors and the study covered financial inclusion as it relates to unbanked people in Nigeria. Other empirical studies in this field were used to strengthen the OLS findings. It was concluded that majority of the ‘unbanked’ in Nigeria are low income people who do not have access to financial services and information on financial inclusion. While few are timid on the need to use a bank, a large number of them are willing to use banking services and believe the availability of these services will help improve their economic condition. At the end of the paper, it is recommended that the government should encourage Banks to continue to take advantage of all the financial inclusion policies of the government in mobilizing funds from the informal sector into the banking system and this can be best done by increasing the amount of customers within the financial system as a tool for encouraging financial inclusion and stimulating the economy and thereby reducing poverty in the country


Author(s):  
Mahesh K. M. ◽  
P. S. Aithal ◽  
Sharma K. R. S.

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.


Author(s):  
Arun.K.V

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


Financial Inclusion can be influenced by the customer perception such as availability of all financial inclusion services in all branch, reliable and prompt services, Affordable price, Post office staffs interact With friendly ( Accessible ) Safety and security transaction, affordable financial services, Simplicity procedure, Responsible to query, conveniently service under convenience sampling method were adopted. The primary data were collected with 50 Respondents of post office customers with the help of well structure close ended and 5 point likert scale questionnaire which consists of parameters to measure the perception variables. The collected data were analyses with the help of the mean rank and one way ANOVA analysis for validating the assumptions made by researchers. The study therefore done found that customers perception variable of post towards financial Inclusion processes were confirmed that the customers perception India variables had some effect on satisfaction of India post towards financial inclusion services. But, aged person, illiterate people, women , low occupation person and low income person have to attention and be conducted awareness camp. This may increase the financial inclusion in post office


2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 168-182
Author(s):  
David Mhlanga ◽  
◽  
Steven Henry Dunga ◽  
Tankiso Moloi ◽  
◽  
...  

The study sought to investigate the impact of financial inclusion on poverty reduction in Zimbabwe among the smallholder farmers. It is alleged that financial inclusion can help in achieving seven of the seventeen sustainable development goals (SDGs), which include poverty eradication in all its forms everywhere, ending hunger, achieving food security, ensuring improved nutrition as well as promoting sustainable agriculture and many others. Using the simple regression method, the study discovered that financial inclusion has a strong impact on poverty reduction among smallholder farmers. The study went on to discover that, for the government to tackle poverty especially among the smallholder farmers, it is important to ensure that farmers do participate in the financial sector through saving, borrowing and taking out insurance among other services. So, it is important for the government of Zimbabwe to fully implement policies that encourage financial inclusion such as making sure that farmers find it easy to access financial institutions and encouraging financial institutions to review transaction costs like bank account opening charges periodically, implementing financial education programs among the farmers because these variables are important in influencing farmers to participate or preventing them from using financial services.


Author(s):  
Lettiah Gumbo ◽  
Precious Dube ◽  
Muhammad Ridwan

One of the most effective catalysts of economic growth of any nation is obviously financial inclusion. However, in developing countries such as Zimbabwe gender gap is still an impediment to the achievement of financial inclusion for all. Research findings for this paper show that, increasing women’s financial opportunities and financial awareness on how to access financial products and services will go a long way in reducing the gender gap. Furthermore, increasing access to and use of quality financial products and services is essential to inclusive economic growth and poverty reduction. Although the government of Zimbabwe is taking steps to increase women financial inclusiveness, research shows that women in Zimbabwe trail behind men in as far as access to financial services is concerned. Zimbabwean communities remain dominantly patriarchal and women are always lagging behind in developmental projects meant for their empowerment. This paper seeks to assess the implementation of women’s financial inclusion highlighting opportunities and barriers such as the gender gap and how this may be overcome. The study is qualitative in nature and therefore makes use of interviews and questionnaires for data collection. It is envisioned by the researchers that the research findings will be beneficial to women; their empowerment and development and national development. It is hoped to change the way in which the banking and financial sectors deal with women’s financial inclusion for the betterment of their livelihoods.  Furthermore, women’s financial empowerment will improve livelihoods of many families given the caring nature of mothers, sisters, aunts and grandmothers.


Agriculture is the largest employer of India which constitutes 50% of its workforce and also a contributor to 17-18% in its GDP. Still, it is one of the most disorganized and disjointed sector.Somewhere this sector has not been given due attention and itcan be proven with the fact that the GDP contribution of this sector has fallen from 43% to 18% (1970- 2018).Though the Indian Government is digitally driving to provide financial inclusion to more than 145 million households that are not having access to banking services but still the farmers aremajorlyusing traditional credit for their basic and main two factors; Production & Consumption (Distribution). The financial segment has an important role to make agriculture aprime contributorto the economic growth of the country and also in reducing poverty. A fast-evolving technological landscape is bringing up new potential to focus&provide credit, risk-sharing, and to explore technology to enhance agricultural productivity. Our paper firstly examines agricultural finance in the Indian context and then discusses how financial technology (Fin-Tech) can drive new products in credit and risk markets in India. We evaluate the role of mobile banking, financial literacy, digital financial services, digital financial technology, and block-chain technology. The paper is concluded with a discussion of policy takeaways for Fin-Tech in agriculture to promote agricultural growth, enhance financial inclusion, and improve regional economic integration through agriculture.


2019 ◽  
Vol 67 (3-4) ◽  
pp. 367-372
Author(s):  
Sylvester Ohiomu ◽  
Evelyn Nwamaka Ogbeide-Osaretin

Reduced inequality and gender equality are parts of the sustainable development goals (SDGs) towards global development, but the financial sector appears daunted in respect of financial inclusion for these noble goals. Concerns are more on gender inequality in the area of full utilisation of financial and human resources. Hence, this study investigated the impact of financial inclusion on gender inequality in sub-Saharan Africa. The study employed the generalised method of moments (GMM) estimation method on panel data on some countries in sub-Saharan Africa. The result of the study revealed that financial inclusion substantially reduced gender inequality. Financial inclusion access was found to drive down gender inequality more than usage. Female educational levels were found to have a substantial but negative impact on gender inequality. This study recommends that there is a need for an increase in commercial bank branches to increase accessibility to financial services. The government should increase its expenditure, and this should be channelled towards financial development and higher levels of education for females to improve financial literacy.


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