Microfinance and Poverty Alleviation: Evidences from Kerala, India

Microfinance has evolved as a vital strategy of poverty alleviation in Kerala State over the last fifteen years. Both the State Government and the NGOs have been actively involved in the promotion and growth of microfinance programmes in the State. ¿Kudumbashree¿ the microfinance programme of the Government, is highly acclaimed at national and international levels as the best workable participatory poverty alleviation model. This book is meant to expose the effectiveness of the strategy of participatory development through microfinance in uplifting the plight of the poor households. The book also makes a comparative analysis of the impact of microfinance initiatives of the Government and the NGOs on poverty alleviation and household welfare based on a novel method of econometric models. Further this book focuses on the theoretical link between microfinance and poverty, role of the Government and the NGOs in the microfinance sector, and the emerging issues of microfinance. This book will be of great use to the policy-makers, donors, researchers and others who are interested in the economic development of a nation.