Microfinance: Problems Faced by Microfinance Institutions and Measures to Solve It

The age old saying, ?India is a rich country where poor people live?, still holds well. In the present era there is a need for practical and workable solutions to improve the socioeconomic conditions of the poor in India, thereby helping in wiping out the deep-rooted problem of poverty. Globalization has brought substantial benefits around the world, but in many developing countries it is contributing to a growing disparity between the rich and the poor. Microfinance emerged as a noble substitute for informal credit and an effective and powerful instrument for poverty reduction among people who are economically active but financially constrained and vulnerable in various countries. It covers a broad range of financial services including loans, deposits and payment services, and insurance to the poor and low-income households and their microenterprises. Persuaded with the potential role of micro financing in alleviating poverty, the South Asian countries especially India&Bangladesh have been actively pursuing the policy of setting up formal network of microfinance institutions. These institutions include NGOs/NBFCs and government sponsored programs.