Financial Inclusion through Cooperatives – A Corridor to Serve the Unserved

The paper discusses the importance of financial Inclusion and how it can deliver banking services at an affordable cost to the vast sections of disadvantaged and low income groups. Reason being that smaller and farm households having below one hectare of land are found to be far behind when it comes to accessing institutional credit in India with population more than 100 crores. Cooperative banks in India being recognized as small people bank can achieve the benefits of financial inclusion. Cooperative banking as an institution is still pertinent and can play a very constructive role in meeting the objective of greater degree of financial inclusion in the country