Microfinance, risk taking behavior and rural livelihood are the three dominating issues in the rural financial landscape. Inadequate access to financial services is considered to be one of the main reasons behind inadequate economic opportunity and poverty in rural India. Microfinance has played a significant role in shaping the rural financial scenario. There is a need for micro-finance institutions to focus on a heterogeneous demand structure for the financial services provided to the rural poor. This book aims to provide an up-to-date and in-depth analysis of borrowing and risk taking behavior of rural people, which might help to design financial products and delivery of services in the rural market. It attempts to highlight and review the actual meaning, functions and challenges of microfinance through SHGs in the rapidly changing rural scenario and livelihood aspects of the group members. In addition, the present volume also investigates the effectiveness of government schemesto promote rural development. It is intended for those who are interested in understanding the grassroots reality of the Indian rural financial sector.  

Chapter 1: Structural Transformation of Rural Finance in India: A Critical Review.- Chapter 2: Risk Taking Behaviour in Financial Decision Making: A Village Level Study.- Chapter 3: Impacts of Caste, Risk, and Time Preference on Borrowing Behavior: A Case Study in West Bengal, India.- Chapter 4: Microfinance and Rural Entrepreneurship: An Assessment.- Chapter 5: SHGs for Poverty Alleviation? Perspectives from a Tamil Nadu Village under Rapid Economic Development.- Chapter 6: Achievements and Challenges of SHG-Bank Linkage Program in India: The Result of Village Surveys in Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra.- Chapter 7: Synergistic Effects of microfinance through SHGs: A Study of basic Health and Primary Education indicators.- Chapter 8: For a Better World: Livelihood Security Measurement of the SHG Members.- Chapter 9: Public Spending and Rural Livelihood in India: A Study of MGNREGA.- Chapter 10: Factual Achievementof MGNREGA: Calls for an Optimal Planning using Fuzzy Logic.