CONTEXT

• Karnataka government aims to strengthen financial inclusion, especially for rural women.
• Access to banking is limited in rural areas, impacting scheme delivery and women’s financial independence.
• Existing Business Correspondent (BC) network shows gaps—only 13,676 out of 93,173 BCs are IIBF-certified, and 18% are inactive.
• Women’s empowerment and financial autonomy are key goals under schemes like Gruha Lakshmi and Shakti.

CONCEPT

• Sakhis: Women from self-help groups trained as Business Correspondents (BCs) under National Rural Livelihoods Mission (NRLM).
• Certified by: Indian Institute of Banking & Finance (IIBF).
• Role: Act as last-mile agents offering banking services (deposits, withdrawals, transfers, account opening).
• Objective: Bridge the gap between rural women and formal financial institutions.
• Empowerment Angle:
  • Improves comfort and trust among women customers.
  • Enables women to handle financial matters independently.
  • Facilitates better use of cash benefits and savings.

CURRENT

• 5,007 women trained as IIBF-certified BC Sakhis under NRLM.
• Target: One Gram Panchayat – One BC Sakhi by September 2025.
• SLBC (State Level Bankers Committee) coordinating implementation.
• Infrastructure Support:
  • Free workspace in gram panchayat buildings.
  • Basic infrastructure provided by the government.
• Focus on reaching:
  • Gruha Lakshmi beneficiaries (1.25+ crore women getting ₹2,000/month).
  • Shakti scheme users (free bus travel savings channelled into financial habits).
• Key Benefit:
  • Boosts last-mile delivery of financial services in unbanked rural areas.
  • Enhances women’s participation in the financial ecosystem.
  • Reduces dependency on male intermediaries.