Description
(Text)
In the drive for financial inclusion in India, cooperative banks assume prime importance as they are much more accessible to the rural poor than commercial banks. While more accessible, cooperative banks' financial health is rather poor and, therefore, might not be able to serve the needy in a sustained manner. A committee led by Prof. Vaidyanathan has outlined a revival package for cooperatives. Besides suggesting an infusion of funds, it called for the adherence to certain stringent norms to ensure the financial viability. The recommendations provided in the committee's report are under various stages of implementation in India.The book examines the progress of this reform drive in Bihar, a state in Eastern India. It discusses the background for appointing the committee and its recommendations and also presents the findings of a field study conducted in this regard. The findings inform further policy suggestions which are of general interest to the drive for financial inclusionalso in other countries.
(Author portrait)
Dr. Veerashekharappa is Associate Professor and Head of the Centre for Economic Studies and Policy, Institute for Social and Economic Change (ISEC), Bangalore, India. His areas of interest are rural banking, rural development, and sustainable livelihood. / Dr. Meenakshi Rajeev is the Reserve Bank of India Chair Professor in the Institute for Social and Economic Change, Bangalore, India. She has published on a variety of research topics from both theoretical as well as empirical perspectives. / Soumitra Pramanik is working as a Scientific Officer at the International Crop Research Institute for the Semi Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), Andhra Pradesh, India.
