GUWAHATI, March 14 - The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) has started a survey of primarily 40,000 households across the nation to study the impact of financial inclusion on livelihoods.
This study in Assam will cover approximately 2,000 people covering 12 districts � Baksa, Dhemaji, Dibrugarh, Hailakandi, Kamrup Metro and Rural, Karimganj, Lakhimpur, Morigaon, Nagaon, Tinsukia, and Udalguri to assess the present state of financial inclusion. This study is scheduled to be completed by April-end 2017.
NABARD has asked Lucknow-based Academy of Management Studies (AMS), which conducts social and development research, to conduct the survey. The results of the first survey are expected to be released later this year.
At present, the census gives data on the spread of banking services across the nation. But this data is available only once every ten years, posing a handicap for policy makers who are unable to assess the impact of their decisions on a regular basis.
�NABARD is in the process of conducting the �NABARD All India Rural Financial Inclusion Survey� (NAFIS) covering all States of the nation to gather all financial inclusion related aspects at the grassroots levels. The survey will mainly target the aspects of financial inclusion covering credit, savings, insurance, remittances, payments and pensions. Availability of credit covering incidence of indebtedness, loan amount � flow and stock, agencies, terms of credit, cost of credit etc., will also be studied in the survey,� a statement said.
Use of credit, covering production and capital formation in agriculture and allied sectors such as microfinance-related information, would also come within the purview of this survey.
Considering the strength of the Assam-based Unity Education Foundation (UEF), particularly because its research department lies in the cadre of professional economists and its ability to network and collaborate with other reputed institutions, AMS has taken UEF as its local partner for Assam. Recruitment of the research investigators and supervisors, and their training in Guwahati has already been accomplished.
�Rather than financial literacy, focus will be to gauge the impact on livelihoods from the government�s initiatives on the financial inclusion and social security front,� said AS Tapader, founder Director, UEF. The survey will help policy makers undertake mid-course correction wherever necessary.
