Mainstreaming the Financially Excluded

The 11th five-year plan (2007 – 2012) envisions inclusive growth as a key objective. Inclusive growth refers to providing equitable opportunity to all the participants of economic growth and the distribution of returns to all the sections of the society as a result of economic development. In other words Inclusive growth aims to provide access to markets, access to resources and an unbiased regulatory framework. The rich and the poor divide which exists in India is quiet visible in both the rural as well as the urban population of the country. In the rural areas the poor and the underprivileged comprise of the small farmers, landless labourers and the artisans. The main cause of this poverty is irregular income, poor or no savings, lack of financial education, heavy dependence on indebtedness and other economic and social factors.