Indian economy has witnessed a steady growth in the last two decades. However, this growth has been uneven. Inadequacies in rural access to formal finance and seemingly extortionate terms of informal finance for the poor provide a strong need and ample space for innovative approaches to serve the financial needs of India's rural poor.

India has come a long way on the road to development since independence, achieving significant progress in diverse sectors. But still a lot has to be done to make life better in rural areas, particularly in the spheres of employment generation, self-employment opportunities and women empowerment through various socioeconomic interventions and social development activities. But finance is required to develop rural areas and rural communities. If required finance is provided to these communities, then it would help in developing rural areas.

Professional Banker Magazine, Indian Economy, Rural Communities, Banking Services, SHG-Bank Linkage Program, SBLP, Self-Help Groups, SHGs, Neighborhood Groups, NHGs, Swarnajayanti Gram Swarojgar Yojana, SGSY, Income Generating Activities, IGAs, Economic Empowerment, NGO Groups, Case Study.