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National Payments Corporation of India begins pilot project to digitize transactions in microfinance sector
Under the project, RBL Bank will disburse loans and HDFC Bank will receive loan repayments for the transactions of Svatantra Microfinance using Aadhaar and USSD based facilities.
- Categories
- Technology
- Region
- South Asia
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Bharat Financial begins Aadhaar-based cashless loan disbursal in India
In a first of its kind move in the micro-finance and financial-inclusion space, Bharat Financial Inclusion on Wednesday launched Aadhaar-based instant and cashless loan disbursal. It took less than seven minutes for 30-year-old Guddi Devi to apply and receive ₹29,565 loan for a new grocery shop she intends to set up.
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- Technology
- Region
- South Asia
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Securitization portfolio of Indian microfinance industry plummets in Q3 due to note ban
The cash-intensive microfinance industry’s securitisation portfolio plummeted in the quarter ended December because of demonetisation, according to a report released on Thursday by Microfinance Institutions Network (MFIN).
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- Technology
- Region
- South Asia
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Client Outcomes Data in Microfinance: Few Have It But Everybody Needs It
Many recent studies have found that microfinance has no impact, or minimal positive impact, on clients’ lives. To find out why and to fix the problem, financial service providers need client outcomes data, but few FSPs collect it because they think it would be too expensive and time-consuming. Turns out, according to the SPTF Outcomes Working Group, it's not.
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- Uncategorized
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EXCLUSIVE: Bandhan Bank CEO on why we still need physical branches
The competition in the banking sector is all about services, Chandra Shekhar Ghosh, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Bandhan Bank, said in an exclusive interview with Moneycontrol's Beena Parmar. Since starting operations in August 2015, the Kolkata-headquartered lender has garnered a record deposit base of Rs 20,000 crore and a similar amount in its loan portfolio.
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- Uncategorized
- Region
- South Asia
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The Hidden Cost of Digital Convenience
Technology has the potential to reduce costs and provide added financial benefits to poor clients, but a new paper discusses a downside to digitizing group microfinance transactions; namely, a reduction in group cohesion and sensitivity to transaction fees. Innovations for Poverty Action and others are partnering with product designers and microfinance groups to overcome these challenges.
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- Uncategorized
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Using Evidence to Optimize Savings and Loan Payment Channel Choices
The OPTIX team at BFA, along with partner Banco WWB in Colombia, set out to learn more about various client interactions with financial service providers; for instance, why do clients choose a certain transaction location? The work is designed to help Banco WWB strengthen their business while creating a more compelling portfolio of services for their customers’ needs.
- Categories
- Finance
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Pakistan government to launch $130m financial inclusion project
The government is embarking on the Pakistan Financial Inclusion and Infrastructure Project aimed at increasing access to financial services for households and businesses by improving usage of digital payments in the country. Two World Bank institutions — International Bank for the Reconstruction and Development and the International Development Association — will jointly provide $130 million finance for the project.
- Categories
- Technology
- Region
- North Africa & Near East
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