Cover; Title; Copyright Page; Dedication; Contents; List of figures; List of tables; Preface; Acknowledgements; List of abbreviations; 1 The Self Help Group Bank Linkage Programme; 2 Impact assessment methodologies and study design; 3 Reducing poverty and vulnerability; 4 Asset creation; 5 Empowering women; 6 Building human capital through training; 7 Achieving impact and meeting challenges; Appendix 1; Notes; Bibliography; Index
Summary
Financial inclusion through microfinance has become a powerful force in improving the living conditions of poor farmers, rural non-farm enterprises and other vulnerable groups. In its unique ability to link the existing extensive network of India's rural bank branches with the Self Help Groups (SHG), the National Bank of Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) has covered up to 97 million poor households by March 2010 under its Self Help Group Bank Linkage Programme. Policy-makers have proclaimed SHGs as ''the most potent initiative ... for delivering financial services to the poor in a su
