Financial Inclusion - A Tool to Uplift People at ‘Bottom of Pyramid’ (BOP)

Abstract

In India it has been observed the weaker section has always been kept away from the banking fold because of their lower income and poor banking awareness. The weaker section is always in dearth of credit facilities at affordable cost and at the time of their need. The Indian Financial System is considered to be one of the best in the world yet the financial awareness and the availability of financial services is very less in the rural parts of India and especially to the weaker section, globally referred to as ‘bottom of Pyramid’. This segment needs financial assistance in order to sail them out of their conditions of poverty. Financial inclusion is intended to connect people to banks with consequential benefits. Financial Inclusion includes credit facilities, financial awareness, and knowledge about banking facilities and most importantly makes them financially literate.This paper intends to study the role of financial inclusion in bringing social change and alleviating poverty. It will study the measures taken by banks in rural areas to uplift the weaker segment and study the perception of the target segment regarding these measures. And lastly to suggest a model that will increase the efficiency of banks in this regard.