Financial inclusion and beyond: issues and challenges

Financial inclusion, of late, has become an integral part of social banking in India, aiming at inclusive growth. In spite of several attempts to reach out the unreached, the majority of the weaker and vulnerable sections of the community have remained outside the formal financial system. It is also imperative to think beyond financial inclusion. Mere opening of no-frills accounts does not mean much to those who have been reached. It is with this concern that this book makes an attempt to understand the various dimensions of financial exclusion in India and suggest remedial action for meaningful financial inclusion. Several suggestions are made regarding the need for mapping the financial needs of each household and extending the financial services to the needy. One of the innovative suggestions made in this book relates to opening a deposit account in the name of the new born child jointly with the parent, to be retained for at least 15 years until the child goes to high school. It is emphasised that achieving financial inclusion is an indispensable process and cannot be a short-term goal. It requires adoption of innovative models for improving the accessibility and delivery process.