Microfinance Through Cooperatives:Performance and Prospects

Co-operative is a socio-politico-economic institution evolving from the Primitive Communist Society to the Capitalist society transforming itself from one form to other. The paper has tried to ascertain the role of Co-Operatives, i.e., short term Co-operative Credit Structure for development of microfinance and it strengthening including its prospects. This paper also attempted to discuss empowerment of women and poverty alleviation which are very much related to microfinance with specific reference to the state of West Bengal.

The study concludes that the poor including poor women are also bankable and they have good potential to manage the economic and social affairs of microfinance scheme. This paper also highlighted that the Fourth model, i.e., Co-operative model (a co-operative within a Co-operative) is the strongest model with more or less 100% coverage of villages and with world wide horizontal and vertical network played an important role in developing microfinance and still have the relevance in strengthening microfinance.