An Analysis of Challenges in Scaling Up Micro-finance in India: an Enquiry into the Factors Affecting Desired Upscaling of Micro-finance in India

Micro - Finance (MF) has proved to be an effective tool towards poverty alleviation and economic empowerment of women in a number of Third World countries, Bangladesh Brazil are the best examples of this claim. India with more or less the same realties as many other countries, also recognized the potential of MF for poverty alleviation and adopted Micro - finance to achieve the similar results of reducing poverty and inequality in early 80's. Though MF in India achieved substantial growth, however, this industry is facing a number of challenges today and calls for some good and context specific wise policies and rigorous implementation. This can be effective in making MF work towards fulfilling its promises of making contribution to alleviating poverty and empowering women by ensuring outreach of MF services the poorest of the poor. The monograph is an endeavour to analyze multiple challenges prevailing in the industry and draw up on policy prescriptions to cope these challenges.