Microfinance cos may see better fund flow

01 Mar 2011 Evaluate

Government has proposed to set up a Rupees 1 billion equity fund for the microfinance sector, which has witnessed turbulence in the past few months after the southern state of Andhra Pradesh put in place tough regulations. The India Microfinance Equity Fund will be administered by the Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI). 

The budget for 2011-12 also sought to allocate Rs 50 billion to SIDBI to refinance commercial banks' lending to micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs). This move is also expected to benefit microfinance institutions (MFIs) as they fund micro enterprises. The proposals are expected to help channel much-needed bank funds to MFIs, which have been witnessing a severe cash crunch ever since the Andhra Pradesh Microfinance Institutions Act came into effect. 

The government is also considering a regulatory framework to protect the interests of small borrowers, who form the bulk of the clientele of MFIs. The legislation by the government of Andhra Pradesh, which is the largest market for MFIs, was introduced late last year following complaints about high interest rates, aggressive recovery practices and over-extended borrowers. crackcrack

© 2025 The Alchemists Ark Pvt. Ltd. All rights reserved. MoneyWorks4Me ® is a registered trademark of The Alchemists Ark Pvt. Ltd.

×