New vistas in Microfinance

An article on Micro-finance from Business Standard.

The ten-member committee is expected to submit its report by November 30.

i) to study the pattern of exclusion from access to financial services disaggregated by region, gender and occupational structure;

ii) to identify the barriers confronted by vulnerable groups in accessing credit and financial services, including supply-demand and institutional constraints;

iii) to review the international experience in implementing policies for financial inclusion and examine their relevance/applicability to India;

iv) to suggest (a) strategy to extend financial services to small and marginal farmers and other vulnerable groups, including measures to streamline and simplify procedures, reduce transaction costs and make the operations transparent, (b) measures including institutional changes to be undertaken by the financial sector to implement the proposed strategy of financial inclusion, and (c) a monitoring mechanism to assess the quality and quantum of financial inclusion including indicators for assessing progress.

Read the rest of the article here

Higher Education Newsletter – Marchresearch

The 2nd issue of the Higher Education Newsletter has been released from MARCH Marketing Consultancy and Research for the month of July.

To find more News & articles review on Higher Education, Click here

MFI against Poor

The proposed 12% interest cap for lending to the rural folk by microfinance institutions (MFIs) in the country will work against the poor, said Vikram Akula, CEO, SKS Microfinance

Read the full article here

IIFCL on SEZ projects

The India Infrastructure Finance Company Ltd, the special purpose vehicle for financing infrastructure, will fund the projects in the Special Economic Zones (SEZ) as well, IIFCL Chairman S S Kohli has said.

Read the rest of the article online here

MARCH – Credential Document

MARCH Marketing Consultancy and Research, has defined their Credential Document.

Click here to view PDF online.

The document comprises of Organization’s facts, Core Competency, Sector assignments, Infrastructure, Strategic Alliance, Range of Services, Differentiators, Partial Client list and the details of Assignment.

Cutting edge technology to MFIs-Microfinance

FINO to provide cutting edge technology to MFIs an article from Navhind Times

To provide solutions to enable further growth of micro-finance, FINO will provide a standardised and shared infrastructure that will link clients and financial service providers across the spectrum, reducing costs of capital for all participants in the value chain.

100 Indians to get homes

An Article from Mumbai Newsline shows that “With help from America, 100 Indians to get homes“ 

For five days beginning October 30, former US President Jimmy Carter and his wife Rosalynn will work alongside hundreds of volunteers to build a targeted 100 houses near Lonavla, as part of the 23rd annual Jimmy Carter Work Project (JCWP).

Habitat for Humanity (HFH), India, aims to provide decent homes to 50,000 Indians by 2010.

Sheila breaks through the glass ceiling – Micro-finance

An article from DNA World states that, the poor Indian women can be both reliable borrowers and avid entrepreneurs.

“We opened up 25 micro-credit banks in 25 countries. Now the organisation is happy to be in India and partnering with SKS Microfinance,” said Sheila.

SIDBI to raise Rs. 4,500 crores this fiscal – Microfinance

Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) plans to raise Rs 4,500 crores this fiscal, of which almost Rs 3,000 crores will be raised from overseas financial institutions like, Asian Development Bank (ADB), World Bank (WB) and KFW of Germany.

“It has also plans about 52 per cent growth in retail SME credit portfolio and intends to increase the Micro Finance portfolio to Rs 750 crores in the current fiscal from Rs 339 crores as on March 31, 2006.

PM for the Poor-Microfinance

PM for `financial inclusion`of the poor – An article from Business Standard

PM said: “I suggest the finance minister to set up a group with representatives from the Reserve Bank of India, Nabard and major commercial banks to formulate policies that will promote financial inclusion by stimulating financial services for the poor, particularly emphasising micro-finance, micro-insurance and new delivery models.”

“The RBI has taken several steps in this direction. I advise the banks to give the highest priority to customer service to lower transaction costs and to eliminate procedural inconveniences,”