Micro-credit: a paradigm for rural poverty alleviation Dr. Singh Arun Kumar Deptt. of Sociology, M.G. Kashi Vidyapith, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India, Email: drarunksingh@rediffmail.com Online published on 13 March, 2018. Abstract Poverty has been the major problem in developing countries like India. Presently, poverty is seen not only in terms of lack of material resources but inability of personal security as well as information and to influence political decisions. Poverty is basically a structural issue and needs multidimensional effort. But, micro credit has been playing a vital role in poverty alleviation since it has enhanced the quality of life of people, specially rural poor, to engage them in small productive enterprises by getting small loans from banking institutions as well as got support from NGOs. In this background the present paper is an attempt to provide a comprehensive picture of micro financing in uplifting of rural poor. The Government of India has launched many programs such as differential rate of interest, swarnajayanti gram swarojgar yojana, SHG-bank linkage programme joint liability groups, kisan credit cards, Swarojgar credit cards, rural infrastructure development fund, primary agriculture credit societies, business facilitators as well as business correspondent programme for providing micro credit to rural poor. However, there are certain constraints in getting full advantage of micro credit effort leading to the emergence of various issues and concerns. Top Keywords Microcredit, Vulnerable groups, Financial inclusion, Self help group. Top |