Towards Financial Inclusion in India - Hardcover

The book under review has the merit of being authored by persons who, by virtue of holding senior positions in NABARD — an institution that played a crucial role in expanding and deepening financial inclusion — have had the advantage of closely observing and even participating in the process, and gaining access to the findings of field surveys and the official data based on them. It not only presents in detail the role played by the main actors but also draws upon the experiences of other countries in this regard. The book is highly informative and should serve as a useful guide to what has been happening and, more importantly, what needs to be done.

(The Hindu 2012-02-21)

The book is interesting...It has numerous examples in each and every idea, thanks to Nabard’s rich and vast experiences in this field. Also, rather than being recommendatory, it is filled with real examples for the reader to identify with.... the book is written in more of a regulator’s officialese with a lot of points and subpoints — much like a detailed textbook. It is, hence, a good compendium of everything on the subject... a wholesome treatise.

(Businessworld 2012-04-02)

Towards Financial Inclusion in India is a treatise on ‘inclusion of the Last, the Lost and the Least’. It provides an in-depth analysis of the various pillars of financial inclusion such as micro-remittance, micro-savings, micro-credit and micro-insurance. The book stresses on financial literacy and counselling, which are core to the achievement of financial inclusion. The authors dwell upon the difficulties faced by vulnerable groups like women, tribals, weavers and rural populace while trying to access financial services. The book also analyzes inclusion measures like ICT interventions, post office model and payment mechanisms. Striking a balance between pragmatic policy-making and a genuine social security mechanism, the book emphasises that financial services should be cost-effective and easily affordable to the vast majority of disadvantaged and low-income groups. The roadmap for financial inclusion drawn by the authors, if adopted, will go a long way in addressing the needs and demands of last-mile clients, especially the vulnerable groups.