Moving Beyond Barriers

This book provides a comprehensive analysis of financial inclusion in India, blending empirical analysis with policy evaluation. It showcases the remarkable progress achieved through various financial inclusion initiatives in India, most notably through the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY), while also addressing the challenges that persist. Drawing on unit-level data from multiple rounds of the NSSO-Debt and Investment Survey, the book offers a rigorous assessment of four core components of financial inclusion: savings, credit, insurance, and remittances. This analysis is further enriched by data from the Reserve Bank of India and the Global Findex, providing a well-rounded analysis. By offering nuanced insights into India’s financial inclusion journey, this work serves as a valuable resource for policymakers, researchers, development practitioners, and students working in the domain of financial inclusion.
-Shika Saravanabhavan holds a Ph.D. in Economics from the Institute for Social and Economic Change (ISEC), Bangalore. Her academic training and research are rooted in development economics, with a particular focus on financial inclusion and its impact on economic development. In addition to her academic credentials, she has valuable experience in the development sector, which has further informed her research perspective. Her recent work explores topics such as rural credit, informal lenders and small enterprises in India. She is currently working as a Research associate at the Institute for Social and Economic Change (ISEC), Bangalore.
Meenakshi Rajeev is currently Professor, Humanities and Social Sciences Department, IIT Jammu. Previously, she was holding the position of the Reserve Bank of India Chair Professor at the Institute for Social and Economic Change, Bangalore, India. She received a Ph.D. degree in Economics from the Indian Statistical Institute, Kolkata. She has published on a variety of research topics from both theoretical as well as empirical perspectives in national and international journals. She has visited and taught in several universities in the USA, Europe, and India.

Shika Saravanabhavan holds a Ph.D. in Economics from the Institute for Social and Economic Change (ISEC), Bangalore. Her academic training and research are rooted in development economics, with a particular focus on financial inclusion and its impact on economic development. In addition to her academic credentials, she has valuable experience in the development sector, which has further informed her research perspective. Her recent work explores topics such as rural credit, informal lenders and small enterprises in India. She is currently working as a Research associate at the Institute for Social and Economic Change (ISEC), Bangalore.
Meenakshi Rajeev is currently Professor, Humanities and Social Sciences Department, IIT Jammu. Previously, she was holding the position of the Reserve Bank of India Chair Professor at the Institute for Social and Economic Change, Bangalore, India. She received a Ph.D. degree in Economics from the Indian Statistical Institute, Kolkata. She has published on a variety of research topics from both theoretical as well as empirical perspectives in national and international journals. She has visited and taught in several universities in the USA, Europe, and India.