The previous blog about the ongoing project in Satara, “Economics and Psychology of Long Term Savings and Pensions” was an introduction to why time-preference inconsistency is important and how it may manifest itself. The current blog will attempt to describe … Read More
What was the “Agricultural Debt Waiver and Debt Relief” Scheme About?
Photo Credit: http://www.aegindia.org According to Malcolm Harper, “the loan waiver scheme is an expensive, populist device that won’t have much effect” (Eye on Microfinance, Volume 7). This was in response to the In March 2008 “Agricultural Debt Waiver and Debt Relief” … Read More
Agricultural Financing – Potential for Innovations ?
Quite often, I come across this from some of my city-based friends, “Someday I would like to retire and get settled in a village and have a farm to myself, grow some vegetables and more” I do not know to … Read More
Making the Case for Financial Literacy – Why is FE Critical for the Vulnerable Clients in India – Opinions from the Field (PART III)
In Part I and Part II of this blog, we made a case for FE by making the modules concise, cost-efficient and effective for the clients. In this blog we discuss the observations from the field that add to existing … Read More
Newsletter Article – A Closer Look at the Financial Viability of the BC Model
To make the mainstream banking services available to all, RBI and government have been outlining many initiatives that could accelerate efforts on this. The year 2005 and 2006 witnessed two key initiatives of RBI to reinforce the financial inclusion drive … Read More
Newsletter Article – Making the Case for Financial Literacy – Why is FE Critical for the Vulnerable Clients in India – Opinions from the Field
According to National Sample Survey Organization (NSSO) (59th Round) data, nearly 51% of the farmer families in India are excluded from both formal and informal sources of finance. Exclusion is most acute in Central, Eastern and North-Eastern regions. Among non-cultivating … Read More
Newsletter Article – Social Security for the Aam Aadmi
I spend a disturbingly high percentage of my time these days pretending to be a sardine in our office elevator, as it creeps down the ten floors towards the cafeteria. That, or standing in a succession of lines at airports. … Read More
Newsletter Article – Futures Price Information for Small and Medium Farmers
Agriculture and allied activities continue to employ 52% of the Indian workforce and account for 17.2% of GDP. Average land holding size however remains very low, with 70% of the land held by farmers who own 2.47 acres (1 hectare) … Read More
Making the Case for Financial Literacy – What is CMF Doing to Address the FE Challenges? (PART II)
In Part 1 of this blog, we discussed some of the challenges related to implementing an FE intervention. These include high costs related to providing FE in a classroom setting, logistics and material costs, building the capacity of the staff … Read More
Qualitative Research: Something More than Mere Description
Qualitative Research: Something more than mere description In our profession, we deploy both Quantitative and Qualitative research methodologies. While both the methods have their own unique uses, that have been widely documented, I have often observed … Read More