Exploring the Challenges of Rural Women in Availing Bandhan Microfinance in Tinsukia District of Assam, India

The present paper is an attempt to identify the problems faced by the rural women in availing Bandhan microfinance. Microfinance is a modern tool to fight against poverty for the development of rural areas. Microfinance is also known as micro-credit and it offers loan, savings and insurance to entrepreneurs, small business owners who unlikely to get loan from the traditional source like banks. The study was conducted in Margherita sub-division, Tinsukia district of Assam during the period of June, 2021–July, 2021 and the study design adopted was exploratory cum descriptive. For, the present study thirty percent groups were selected from each selected Bandhan Banking unit. Thus, 108 members of Bandhan groups were selected for the study as respondent. An interview schedule was prepared comprising statements regarding problems faced by the rural women in availing the Bandhan microfinance services. According to the findings, the most common problem encountered by respondents when seeking microfinance services was a short repayment period, a lack of clarity about the interest rate, and credit expenditure on family crisis. Bandhan microfinance should also provide basic business education to train these rural women so that they can learn how to run a business. Inclusion of family members as co-applicant especially husband is recommended for trouble free use of loan and repayment. It can be concluded from the study that the respondents faced problems after availing the microfinance services which needs to be addressed.