Alok Misra

SFBs must measure 'True' impact on Underserved Communities: Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Swaminathan Janakiraman RBI Deputy Governor Swaminathan J urged Small Finance Banks (SFBs) to focus on true impact, looking into a balance between profitability and social good. He emphasised sustainability, risk management, and governance. Addressing key areas like credit risk, cyber-security, and operational risks, he called for strong oversight by Boards to ensure long-term growth, resilience, and inclusion for underserved communities. #SFBs #UnderservedCommunities #ImpactBanking #SocialGood #SustainabilityInFinance #GovernanceMatters #ETBFSI #BFSI https://lnkd.in/gNEB-uqP

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🌟Exploring Financial Inclusion in India through Microfinance Institutions🌟 We are delighted to present an insightful study featured in The Journal of Contemporary Issues in Business and Government [ISSN: 1323-6903]. 📄 Title: Role of Microfinance Institutions in Financial Inclusion in India. research paper by Aastha SHARMA, Ph.D.,Dr. Megha Sharma, Gunwant Awasthi, Lata Poojari, Thakur Institute of Management Studies and Research 🔑 Key Focus Areas: Financial Inclusion: Unlocking opportunities for underserved communities. Microfinance Institutions: Catalysts for economic empowerment. Indian Economy: Bridging gaps in financial accessibility. Micro Credit: Small loans, big impacts. Financial Independence: Enabling self-sufficiency and growth. This research delves deep into how microfinance institutions are shaping the financial landscape of India, driving progress, and fostering economic equality. By empowering individuals and communities, these institutions play a pivotal role in creating a more inclusive economy. 📢 Read the full article and join the conversation: https://lnkd.in/gB_2qTRQ 💬 We invite your thoughts on the transformative power of microfinance. How can these institutions further enhance financial inclusion? Stay tuned for more groundbreaking research! Follow us 👉 https://lnkd.in/feed #FinancialInclusion #Microfinance #IndianEconomy #Research #EconomicEmpowerment

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Indian #microfinance has traversed a long and arduous path since its inception in the 1970s. Initially conceived as a way to alleviate #poverty and empower #women, microfinance has expanded significantly over the past five decades. Presently, the #sector plays a critical role in extending #financialservices to the unbanked and under-banked, particularly in #rural areas. With a #loan #portfolio worth more than INR4.2 lakh crore as of September 2024 and a #customer base consisting of roughly 8 crore unique #borrowers, the journey of microfinance in #India consists of multiple milestones encompassing the institution of several microfinance institutions (MFIs) and the introduction of favourable government regulations. In this article for Observer Research Foundation, I examine the role of the #corporatisation of India’s microfinance sector in its #growth and evolution. #economics #economy #povertyalleviation #MFI #borrower #services #finance #lending #nbfc #rbi #digital #technology #government #investment #MUDRA #regulation #financialinclusion #economicgrowth #debtor #research #profitability #missiondrift

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My piece on the 10 years of PMJDY. Beginning 1904, there have policy-led attempts at financial inclusion. Banks were the last institutions to join the drive towards inclusion but today are at the forefront. PMJDY represents a culmination of all these years of ideas and policies coming together. https://lnkd.in/gjXupJ8Y

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The dynamics of #donation are evolving, and Anshu Gupta from Goonj is at the forefront of this transformative journey. In this episode of Impact Dialogues, Anshu challenges conventional views on the donor-beneficiary relationship, offering #insights that could redefine what it truly means to give. Can't wait to hear your #thoughts. Aishwarya Bhatia #contribution #change #dignity #impact #impactinglives #giving #conversationsthatmatter #impactdialogues

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I write in Financial Express (India) with my colleague Dr. Priti D.. Currently, MDBs are constrained in their lending capacity. Without an increase in capital base and rechanneling of special drawing rights (SDRs) through MDBs, even the most optimistic estimates suggest that MDBs can finance only a small part of the climate-related needs of low- and middle-income countries. In the absence of any significant improvement in the lending capacity of MDBs, financing of climate action by them can come only at the expense of financing of development activity. https://lnkd.in/g32S9rkp

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Plenary Announcement - 'Insights from Limited Partners: Capital Movement, Investment Yields and Impact Evaluation' | Prabhav 2024 | 12th & 13th September, New Delhi The Plenary on 'Insights from Limited Partners: Capital Movement, Investment Yields, and Impact Evaluation,' supported by Asha Ventures as the session patron, will offer a comprehensive exploration into the experiences and expectations of Limited Partners as they assess India as a prime destination for impact investing. This session is designed to provide attendees with deep insights into the strategic considerations of Limited Partners, shedding light on how they navigate the complexities of capital movement within the Indian market. The discussion will focus on the metrics and benchmarks used to evaluate investment yields and the methods employed to measure and manage impact outcomes. Attendees will gain a nuanced understanding of the opportunities and challenges faced by Limited Partners in their quest to build impact-focused portfolios. The session will highlight real-world case studies and firsthand accounts, offering practical perspectives on achieving both financial returns and meaningful social impact. By bringing together thought leaders and key stakeholders in the impact investing ecosystem, this plenary aims to foster a rich exchange of ideas and strategies, ultimately contributing to the growth and effectiveness of impact investments in India. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to learn from industry leaders—book your spot today. Register now and enjoy an early bird 50% discount! Visit https://prabhav2024.in/ and use the code ‘IIC50’ to avail the offer. -- About Prabhav: Prabhav, India's premier bi-annual impact investing conference, serves as a pivotal platform for Impact LPs, Asset Managers, Government Officials, and ecosystem stakeholders to convene, deliberate, and advance the India impact sector. Prabhav 2024 marks the fifth edition of the conclave and will explore six crucial themes: Equity Impact Investing, Blended Finance, Financial Inclusion, Debt Impact Investing, Climate Finance, and Niche Sectors. Through insightful dialogues, the conclave aims to bridge the financing gap for impactful initiatives, unlocking India's potential for a prosperous, inclusive, and sustainable future. Prabhav 2024 is happening on the 12th and 13th of September at The Grand in New Delhi, India. #Prabhav2024

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Shri Surender Rana, Deputy Managing Director, SBI, chaired a panel discussion on "Identifying Innovative Financing Mechanisms in AVC - Role of Digital Tools and Emerging Technologies" at the "Workshop on Unleashing India's Agribusiness Potential through Innovative Agri Value Chain Financing" held at the Shangri-La Eros, New Delhi, on 27th June 2024. The discussion included several dignitaries and was followed by a Q&A session. The discussion emphasized that data is the most crucial tool for digitizing the agriculture sector and leveraging emerging technologies to benefit all agricultural stakeholders. #agrigoi #AgriWorkshop #AgriFinance #GlobalValueChains#agribusiness #farmers #valuechain UNDP in India The Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) NABARD - National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development Prasar Bharati Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying

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Surcharges on International Monetary Fund loans are adding to the debt burden of global south countries which are already facing extreme challenges like climate change, says Manasi Karthik of the Center for Economic and Policy Research. Surcharges exacerbate challenges faced by countries already dealing with dire climate, security and health crises. Devastating floods accompanying Cyclone Remal last month have already taken 30 lives in Sri Lanka, while over 6,000 people have been forced to flee and over 12,000 homes have been damaged. CEPR research shows that Sri Lanka is expected to pay $308mn in surcharges over the next decade. War-ravaged Ukraine is on track to pay a whopping $1.8bn in surcharges in the next five years, even as its economy remains 25% below its 2021 level. Egypt, which is now experiencing a food crisis precipitated by events beyond its control, is expected to spend $699mn in surcharges over the next decade. Read the full article: GreenCB.co/4dIQ33f

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A short-duration program focussing on concepts, contemporary issues, and public policy in the domain of inclusive finance in India. If you are in the domain, do seriously consider joining it. #inclusivefinance #financialinclusion #Microfinancefirms #smallfinancebanks #commercialbanks #cooperativebanks #regulators

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The podcast "Equity In Philanthropy | FED Dialogues" is an insightful conversation where Ashish Dhawan his vision for India's economic growth, emphasizing the critical role of skill development and labor-intensive exports. He highlights how philanthropy can effectively contribute to systemic change, focusing on high-impact areas to achieve substantial social and economic progress. Key highlights from the podcast: Economic growth fuels human development: There exists a powerful link between economic growth and improvements in education, healthcare, and poverty reduction. Expanding the economic pie ultimately benefits everyone, with this belief rooted in witnessing the positive impact of economic growth in countries like China. India's potential as a global economic leader: India has the potential to become a manufacturing powerhouse and a leading provider of skilled services to the global market. Dhawan outlines a roadmap for achieving this ambitious goal, focusing on specific sectors where India can excel. Harnessing labor-intensive exports: There is an emphasis on prioritizing labor-intensive exports to drive job creation and capture a larger share of the global market. India's competitive advantage lies in its abundant workforce and cost-effectiveness compared to other developing countries. Skilling aligned with market demand: There is a need to design skill-development programs that cater directly to the demands of the global market. This strategic approach will ensure individuals acquire in-demand skills, increasing employability and contributing directly to India's economic expansion. The emphasis on outcome-oriented, market demand-led skilling programs resonates deeply with D&A’s latest work on designing skilling and employment programs. These initiatives leverage an outcome-based financing model in partnership with leading skilling ecosystem partners. The skilling initiative will incorporate a gender-inclusive approach and consider contextual and social factors in identifying employment opportunities to improve female labor force participation in India. 🔗 Watch the full video here: https://lnkd.in/gsu3pTxK

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Economic Security and Resilience Review: April 2024 - by Dr. V.S. Seshadri Read: https://lnkd.in/d_RgbdW2 This month’s ESRR tracks several high level visits during the month that impact the evolving global economic security landscape. President Joe Biden of the US and Prime Minister Fumio Kishida of Japan, at their summit meeting held on April 10, 2024, agreed to a range of initiatives that will further advance their strategic cooperation, including on economic security. The trilateral Japan-Philippines-United States summit held on April 11 also resulted in the launch of new cooperative ventures, including the Luzon economic corridor to be undertaken in the Philippines. Both Summits addressed coercive pressures emanating from China. That President-elect Prabowi Subianto of Indonesia chose China as the first foreign country to visit drew considerable attention. During his meeting with President Xi Jinping, he voiced full support for the development of closer ties between Indonesia and China. Of interest here are also the findings of an ISEAS opinion survey conducted earlier this year, indicating that more South East Asians would now prefer to align with China (50.5%) over the US (49.5%) if ASEAN nations were forced to choose between them. Notably, the preference towards China was the highest in Malaysia (75.1%), followed by Indonesia (73.2%) and Laos (70.6%). This issue of ESRR also examines the outcomes of high level visits exchanged between the EU and China, and between the United States and China. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s visit to China, in which he was also accompanied by a large business delegation, was conciliatory in tone and aimed at securing more market access for German companies in China. In contrast, the EU Commission during the month launched subsidy probes on Chinese solar panels and wind turbines, began investigations on Chinese public procurement practices for medical devices, and raided the offices of the Chinese company NUCTECH in Poland and The Netherlands. US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen’s visit to China from April 5-9, 2024, saw her highlighting the issue of Chinese industrial overcapacity, particularly in the areas of NEVs and solar energy. The US launched an investigation into China’s ship building, maritime and logistics sectors, while President Biden asked the USTR to consider tripling the existing tariff rates on China’s steel and aluminium imports into the US. Finally, this ESRR issue covers the critical minerals summit held in New Delhi from April 29-30, 2024, as well as key international investment trends outlined in a new UNCTAD report on ‘Global economic fracturing and shifting investment patterns’. #economicsecurity #internationalaffairs #geoeconomics #internationaltrade

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Dr Sasmit Patra is an interesting parliamentarian to watch, bringing to the fore issues of an institutional nature. It may be the more reasoned deliberations at the back-end, of MPs like Dr Patra, that produces real work, in the absence of maturity and substantive depth in those leading the poor quality of the opposition's grouse mining narrative spins. Building congruency, needs a reasonable nod to reality, and that is compromised by the poor quality of legislative deliberations descending purely to exacerbating issues in the pursuit of vote-banks, rather than act as a check on government excesses. Even our institutional structures like courts, in many cases, appear to prefer moral posturing rather than building a bridge to better policy implementation, the decontextualized nature of their abstractions, and a procedural morass. where the fealty to procedural means have overtaken substantive and practical ends (tareek pe tareek!) - leads any resolution into an endless procedural maze. The tough task of "performing" in governance, making a careerist bureaucracy with its deep vested interests work, is difficult even for the strong willed, and may not even be in the agenda as the primary focus of those slanted by their electoral bargains.

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Discover the transformative role of microfinance in Indian agriculture! Learn how with the Joint Liability Groups (JLGs) access to credit, is ensuring financial inclusion for small farmers. Dive into our blog to learn more!  Link for the blog - https://lnkd.in/gK2vrS9T  #microfinance #agriculture #empoweringfarmers #chaitanyaindia #cifcpl #mfi #loans #improvinglives  

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Exciting developments in the education finance sector! Varthana, a leading Non-Banking Finance Company (NBFC) dedicated to supporting low-budget private schools and students pursuing higher education in India, has secured a significant $3 million (Rs 27 crore) in funding. This investment comes from Triodos Investment Management through non-convertible debentures (NCD). Since its inception in 2013, Varthana has been instrumental in enhancing educational opportunities, operating across 15 states and benefiting over four million students. Despite recent challenges, with revenues dropping from Rs 211 crore in FY21 to Rs 183 crore in FY23, this new funding will help Varthana expand its reach and upgrade school infrastructure and facilities. Triodos Investment Management, a Netherlands-based impact investor focusing on sustainable sectors such as education, food, resources, and wellbeing, is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Triodos Bank NV. This partnership reflects a solid commitment to fostering better educational opportunities and infrastructure in India. Stay tuned for more updates on how this funding will enhance Varthana's mission to support educational growth and development! Read More: https://lnkd.in/gdGNwecp #EducationFinance #Varthana #TriodosInvestment #ImpactInvesting #NBFC #EducationalSupport #SchoolInfrastructure #HigherEducation #FundingNews #EdTech #SustainableFinance Steve Hardgrave

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Palladium: Make It Possible, a global impact firm, is focussing on transforming the business operations of #FPOs in the second phase of #PSFPO project. Amit Kumar Patjoshi reveals more of the group's journey in #India.

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Read our blog on "Digital Divide in Inclusive Finance:  Issue of Collectively Owned Assets and Individual Transactions" by Prof. M S Sriram:https://lnkd.in/g8i8igBD Financial inclusion has empowered women by facilitating easy access to financial services and credit. Self Help Group (SHGs) have provided access to finance, built livelihood opportunities, and fostered social inclusion. The women are in-charge of their finances and this has empowered them across other domains as well. The next big push in the journey towards financial inclusion is Fintech. With the governments focus Jandhan-Aadhar_Mobile (JAM) the challenges faced by women to JAM(ing) are manyfold. UPI – introduced in 2016 – has transformed the payments landscape in the country. Approximately 40% of all payments in India are now digital, and the platform processes over 11 billion transactions monthly. Yet, a significant portion of Indian population, particularly women lack the essential means for digital financial management. This blog delves into how fintech is transforming financial inclusion for women in India and what it means for their future. Shabana Mitra | Shravani Prakash | Cledwyn Fernandez | Havishaye Puri | Riya Khanna

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