The Role of Account Aggregators in India's Inclusion Journey
India's financial landscape is on the brink of a major transformation with the introduction of the Account Aggregator (AA) network, a move that could potentially bring financial services within th...
Impact of climate change on the lives and livelihoods of the poor
Climate change is not just an environmental issue — it's a humanitarian crisis that disproportionately affects the world's poor. As global temperatures rise, the adverse impacts on agricultu...
Understanding Salient Principles of India's Digital Personal Data Protection Act
The digital era is marked by the continuous exchange of personal data, necessitating robust data protection laws. India's recent Digital Personal Data Protection Act is a landmark piece of legisla...
India's Account Aggregator Network: A Step Towards Simplified Financial Data Sharing
The Account Aggregator (AA) system in India represents a significant step towards enhancing financial inclusion and streamlining the process of sharing financial data among institutions with the conse...
Anatomy of Microfinance Frauds and Auditors’ bias - Frauds and the standard MO
Frauds are an area of concern for the MFIs and also for the microfinance industry. Depending on the scale of the fraud, it impacts various stakeholders. Most frauds are perpetrated either by an indivi...
Baseline Studies: The Foundation of Measuring Developmental Impact
In the realm of developmental interventions, measuring impact is not just a matter of assessing end results. It's about understanding the journey from inception to completion and the changes that ...
Enhancing Consumer Protection through the Banking Ombudsman Scheme: Current Contributions and Future Directions
The Banking Ombudsman Scheme, established by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), is a critical mechanism for resolving customer complaints against banks. This paper aims to delve into how the scheme cont...
Enhancing the Effectiveness of RBI's Customer Rights Charter
The Reserve Bank of India's (RBI) Charter of Customer Rights marks a significant step towards protecting consumers in the Indian financial sector. However, while the charter lays a solid foundatio...
A Guide to Consumer Empowerment: The Role of RBI's Charter of Customer Rights
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) plays a pivotal role in safeguarding consumer interests in the banking and financial services sector. The RBI's Charter of Customer Rights stands as a testament to ...
The Dawn of a New Era in Fintech: How RBI's SRO Regulations Foster Transparency and Consumer Protection
In a significant move for the fintech sector, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has recently unveiled draft norms for self-regulatory organisations (SRO-FTs), heralding a new chapter in governance of fi...
RBI's Vision for Self-Regulatory Organizations in Fintech: A New Era of Governance
In a significant move, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) released its draft norms on January 15, outlining a visionary framework for Self-Regulatory Organizations (SROs) in the rapidly evolving fintech ...
Harmonization of regulatory provisions for Housing Finance Companies and Non Banking Finance Companies
In a significant step towards regulatory harmonization, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) announced a draft circular on January 15, aiming to align the regulations of Housing Finance Companies (HFCs) w...
Beware of Misleading Loan Waiver Campaigns: A Caution for Borrowers and Microfinance Institutions
In the ever-evolving landscape of finance, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has recently issued a stern warning about misleading loan waiver advertisements. https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/indust...
Measuring Impact, Maximizing Change: The Conceptual Framework for Social Return on Investments (SROI)
Introduction Social Return on Investment (SROI) is a framework for measuring and accounting for social and environmental values created by the organisations. SROI measures changes which are relevant t...
Scaling Up from Group Loans to Individual Loans: Institutional and Operational Imperatives
Scaling Up from Group Loans to Individual Loans: Institutional and Operational Imperatives As the demand for larger micro-enterprise loans grows, the imperative to shift from group lending to individ...
Importance of Internal Audit in Microfinance Institutions
A functioning Internal Audit system holds immense importance within Microfinance Institutions (MFIs) as it diligently oversees the institution's processes and transactions. Its primary role lies i...
The Vital Role of Smaller and Localized Microfinance Institutions in Promoting Financial Inclusion
Microfinance Institutions (MFIs) play a pivotal role in fostering financial inclusion, and the significance of smaller, localized MFIs cannot be overstated. Unlike their larger counterparts, smaller M...
Code of Conduct Assessment (COCA): Evolution and Growing Importance
M2i maintains that for micro-finance to sustain, sound operational management practices, which strongly emphasize on ethical behavior and responsible lending are imperative. In order to assess adhere...
Client Protection Principles in Microfinance Institutions
Microfinance has emerged as a powerful tool for financial inclusion, providing access to financial services for millions of underserved individuals around the world. However, with its rapid growth, co...
Microfinance Client Fraud Chronicles 1
Microfinance institutions (MFIs) play a pivotal role in extending financial services to underserved populations, empowering individuals like Shardha, Pooja, Anuradha, and Mamta (assumed names) with ac...
Business Due Diligence for Investing in Microfinance Institutions: Balancing Social and Financial Returns
Due Diligence for Investing in Microfinance Institutions: Balancing Social and Financial Returns Microfinance Institutions (MFIs) have emerged as a powerful instrument for fostering financial inclusi...
Technology Solutions for CSR Programs : Leveraging Innovation
Technology Solutions for CSR Programs Technology Solutions for CSR Programs is no longer just a buzzword; it's a powerful tool for businesses to drive positive change. With the advent of technolo...
E Learning Solution for the Banking and Microfinance
E Learning Solution for the Banking and Microfinance The finance industry, including banking and microfinance, is a rapidly evolving sector that demands constant learning and adaptation. With the ris...
Training for Farmer Producer Organisations : Empowering Agriculture
Training for Farmer Producer Organisations In the dynamic world of agriculture, empowering farmer producer organizations (FPOs) is vital for sustainable growth. FPOs play a pivotal role in bringing s...
Baseline Survey for CSR Program
Baseline Survey for CSR Program Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programs have evolved into powerful tools for businesses to make a positive impact on society. However, to truly measure and maxi...
Software for Doing Internal Audit
Introduction Internal audits are a vital part of any organization's risk management and compliance strategy. However, managing these audits manually can be time-consuming and error-prone. That...
Internal Audit in Microfinance Sector
Internal Audit in Microfinance Sector In the ever-evolving landscape of financial services, microfinance institutions (MFIs) have emerged as powerful agents of change. These institutions, often servi...
Fraud Risk Assessment in Microfinance
Fraud Risk Assessment in Microfinance In the dynamic realm of microfinance, where institutions extend financial services to the underprivileged, the fight against fraud is an ongoing battle. As M2i C...
Code of Conduct Assessment for MFIs (COCA): Evolution and Growing Importance
Code of Conduct Assessment for MFIs M2i maintains that for micro-finance to sustain, sound operational management practices, which strongly emphasize on ethical behavior and responsible lending are i...
Time to have a relook at the IIBF certification for business correspondents
The certification program for Business Correspondents (BCs) and Business Facilitators (BFs) provided by the Indian Institute of Banking and Finance (IIBF) has become an industry standard. However, to ...
Strategies to Enhance Financial Inclusion in Geographically Remote Areas
Ensuring financial inclusion is a critical goal for economic development, and one of the significant challenges lies in reaching geographically remote areas. However, with strategic approaches and inn...
The Role of Business Correspondent Agents in Driving Financial Inclusion in India
Financial inclusion through business correspondents Introduction - Financial inclusion through business correspondents Financial inclusion through business correspondents is a key objective for d...
How well MFIs use technology
In this Ecopinion, Atul discusses about the technology adoption among Indian MFIs. Microfinance institutions (MFIs) have successfully integrated technology into their operations, particularly in tran...
Three Ecopinion Wishes
In this Ecopinion Atul expresses three wishes Collaborative Taxation Taxation can be reimagined as a collaborative venture between citizens and the government, where taxpayers express their preferen...