THE LAST MILE: India's Experiments with Rural Finance (Hardcover)

By R.N. Dash

Financial services to the rural sector, especially the poor, in India have seen a series of experiments over the past, and the process of experimentation still continues. Institutions have emerged, policies have evolved, products and services have been designed to cope with the special needs of the sector, and, most importantly, technology has entered the space to alter the profile of financial services as never before. The field is so vast that there is room for all experiments and all innovations to co-exist, from the traditional moneylender to sophisticated technology-driven institutions. While much development has taken place, there is need and scope for more. This is a field where the last word is yet to be told.

The Last Mile focuses on both the supply and demand sides of financial services delivery, the policy relating to financing of the rural and priority sectors, and the role of technology in facilitating the process.

R.N. Dash, former Regional Director of Reserve Bank of India (RBI) for Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, has vast experience as a Central banker. His work, besides covering regulation and supervision of banks, also covered rural and priority sector credit. At the RBI's Central Office in Mumbai, he was closely associated with policy formulation related to Priority Sector Lending by banks. He was associated with several committees set up by RBI and the Government of India. He was member of the RBI Internal Group on Priority Sector Lending by Banks, which submitted its report to the RBI Governor in March 2015.

As faculty member of College of Agricultural Banking (CAB), Pune, he headed the Rural Banking Division.

After superannuation, he was associated with the National Institute of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj, Hyderabad, as Consultant. He is an M.Sc. from Utkal University, and a Certified Associate of the Indian Institute of Banking and Finance.

“…This book is a primer par excellence on rural credit. It is a valuable addition to the literature on the state of rural finance and the way forward. It is commendable for the unique approach it takes to the problem, namely, an integrated view of technology, policy and financial service. I congratulate the author for producing an informative and authentic work on a contentious subject.” — Dr Y. V. Reddy Former Governor, Reserve Bank of India

Publication Date: December 2018

You can buy the book on Amazon India and Flipkart