Author Archives: admin

Despite the gradual increase in irrigation, almost 65% of the Indian agricultural sector still depends on erratic and unpredictable monsoons. Cropping decisions- like which crop to plant, time of sowing, which inputs to use- generally depend on the advent of … Read More

The Centre for Microfinance (CMF) brings to the spotlight the research agenda in various facets of the financial inclusion agenda, including results from rigorous social experiments[i] around the world as well as the policy agenda for which this research is … Read More

The case of little response from the target population towards both the conventional and innovative financial products in rural areas has received a lot of global attention. It has been suggested that low literacy levels and, more importantly, the lack … Read More

The Microfinance Institutions Bill has been cleared by the Union Cabinet and introduced to the Lok Sabha. If approved, MFIs would by regulation be required to register with the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) … Read More

In partnership with FINO, CMF is evaluating a door-to-door step banking services, FINO has a network of Business Correspondents or Bandhus, who open no-frills savings accounts with the Union Bank for the clients.  They operate in areas where formal banking services … Read More

While digital data collection is a significant departure from the usual paper and pen data collection method, there are both advantages and disadvantages to each data collection method.  However, digital data collection is a step into the future because it … Read More

“Profiteers have hijacked the microfinance“; that is what a new book written by Hugh Sinclair alleges. I am not denying that many from this industry are making profit. However, time and again, i am tempted to ask the critics of … Read More

I came across a reference to a paper that was written in the 1800s (in Dublin), where the researcher attempted to help the poor in his neighborhood by employing them in spinning linen-yarn. He reflects on some of the limitations … Read More

Keen readers of microfinance blogs might recall David Roodman making this postawhile back on a quasi-experimental evaluation of Microcredit provision in Thailand where Kaboski & Townsend used an exogenous policy initiative, the “Million Baht Village Fund (MBVF)”, as a proxy … Read More