“Status of financial inclusion: An in-depth study of Noksigkittim village, Meghalaya”

Adoption of farm technology is capital intensive and its application requires sufficient supply of credit to meet input demands. In order to enable the poor farmers to get access to the modern technology and enhance their investments, the concept of financial inclusion has been initiated by the government with the aim to provide financial assistance to the low income earners at an affordable cost. The study aims to examine the efficacy of micro-finance and its principal purveyors SHGs in increasing the accessibility, especially of the disadvantaged sections of the economy to the financial services in the rural areas of Umling block of Ri-bhoi district of Meghalaya. It also attempts to seek an insight into the major issues and challenges, future prospects and the policy measures undertaken in regard to microfinance and SHGs. The process of financial inclusion via the SHG linked microcredit network is still in its infancy in India and especially in the North Eastern part. Considering the spawning size and unmet needs of the population for one and the vast untapped potential for another; perhaps the present study would be able to plug this gap to some extent.