ASSOCHAM Ladies League held an interactive session on ‘How massive outreach of banking services can enable women entrepreneurship to flourish’ on February 11, 2014 where several women entrepreneurs and management students joined to listen to thought-provoking and informative speech by Usha Anathasubramanian, Chairman and Managing Director of Bharatiya Mahila Bank and Dr. Harbeen Arora, Global Chairperson, ASSOCHAM Ladies League. The objective was to highlight the need for banking among women. At the interactive session, Usha Anathsubramanian said, “Women are the most underutilized economic asset of our country”. Being the first ever bank of its kind Bharatiya Mahila Bank, predominantly caters to women and its branches are throbbing with activities. At the session, panelists and women entrepreneurs from different backgrounds raised some pertinent questions: 1. Since microfinance institutions provides microfinance products and services to low income group customers, Neena Prasad, Chief Representative, Singapore Exchange, said, “Listing of micro finance institutions should not take place.” 2. Referring to 44 million women who are oblivious of the banking sector, Usha Anathasubramanian said, “Financial literacy is very important.” 3. “We need to get over urban obsession” underlined Mathew Titus, Executive Director, Sa- Dhan. He referred to the large scale migration of rural population to urban centers. Specifically men from interiors move to cities in search of better livelihood, there is a huge feminization of rural India happening in this way. Women are the most abled workforce of our country, as they carry out farming activities in the absence of their husbands. As adept homemakers, they are continuously engaged in household works and take time out from their busy schedule for art works like weaving, sewing, drawing and many more. The talk was followed by Q & A session; some interesting questions which keep resonating with the audience and had an impact on their minds are as follows: 1. Ms. Sangeeta Mehra, a woman entrepreneur posed a question on “how a bank can ensure working woman’s safety as well as sustainability of her business and family.” She inquired whether BMB is taking any holistic approach that works out well to secure both priorities of a woman entrepreneur. Her concern was that, a businesswoman can claim for life insurance at times when she suffers due to adverse health, but what about those lives which are associated with the business she runs. 2. Mansi Mahajan, Chapter Chairperson of Noida Chapter of ASSOCHAM Ladies League asked a question about the inconvenience of claiming loans. She said that she had faced some grave problems while she claimed loans. She had been through lots of paper works, but finally what comes to her was no less than a shock, she was refused to be given loan as she was unmarried and could not provide collaterals.

1. ‘How massive outreach of banking services can enable
women entrepreneurship to flourish’

2. ‘How massive outreach of banking services can enable
women entrepreneurship to flourish’
“Bharatiya Mahila Bank is a great step
forward and by having its branches all over
the country it can serve the interests of
women even in the remotest of regions,”
said Dr. Harbeen Arora, Global Chairperson,
ASSOCHAM Ladies League in her welcome address
and also appreciated BMB’s growth plans.

3. An Interactive Session with the CMD of Bharatiya Mahila
Bank and Finance Experts
“Women are the most underutilized economic asset of our
country. India can have 10% growth if women enterprise
flourishes,” said Usha Anathasubramanian, CMD of Bharatiya Mahila Bank

4. ‘How massive outreach of banking services can
enable women entrepreneurship to flourish’
Women entrepreneurs and management students of NIILM-CMS, top ranked Bschool of India participated in an interactive session organized by ASSOCHAM
Ladies League.
The session highlighted the need for banking among women.

5. “How massive outreach of banking services can enable
Since inauguration, Bharatiya Mahila Bank (BMB) is looked
women entrepreneurship to flourish”
Anup as a great step forward to uplift economic status of
Interactive Session, organized by ASSOCHAM Ladies League on February 11, 2014
women in India.

6. The first ever women bank of India, Bharatiya Mahila Bank
is appreciated worldwide.
Joachim Gauck, President of Germany; on
meeting Usha Anathaubramanian, was keen
on knowing about the different measures
BMB has adopted in assisting women’s
financial needs.
Joachim Gauck, an anti-communist civil right activist and a generous patron
of women’s social issues appreciated the pivotal role BMB is playing in
creating a financially inclusive society.

7. Usha Anathasubramanian, CMD of Bharatiya Mahila Bank
underscored the salient features of banking among women.
Emphasizing the significance of economic
empowerment for women, CMD of Bharatiya
Mahila Bank said that, “10%
growth for
India assured with greater women
empowerment and enterprise.”
Usha Ananthasubramanian believes in
women’s great ability to make progress for
themselves and their families when
economic opportunities are made available
to them.

8. To have entrepreneurial skills developed among women,
BMB takes a whole new approach:
BMB runs training center where
they hire expert women who can
develop soft skills and impart
financial knowledge to other
women.
BMB have drawn 40-50 products to
serve the interests of women. Like
Kitchen loans, Day Care Loans,
which will encourage women to start
being entrepreneurial right from their
homes.

9. BMB inculcates the habit of formal saving
among women.
As women are good savers, BMB
introduces systematic saving system to
them.

10. BMB promotes women entrepreneurship and small scale
businesses.

11. “There are various businesses that can be better operated by
women like parlors, spas, dress-designing, home food
services, etc,” said Usha Ananthasubramanian, the CMD of
BMB

12. Women are the most abled workforce of our country, as they carry
out farming activities in the absence of their husbands. As adept homemakers, they
are continuously engaged in household works and take time out from their busy
schedule for art works like weaving, sewing, drawing, and many more.

13. The esteemed panelists have raised some important
issues:

14. The esteemed panelists have raised some important issues:
“Listing of micro finance
institutions should not take place,”
recommended Neena Prasad, Chief
Representative, Singapore Exchange Ltd.
As microfinance institutions provides microfinance products and services to low
income group customers.

15. The esteemed panelists have raised some important issues:
“We need to get over urban obsession”
underlined Mathew Titus, Executive Director,
Sa- Dhan, The Association of Community
Development Finance Institutions
He referred to the large scale migration of rural population to urban centers.
Specifically men from interiors move to cities in search of better livelihood, there
is a huge feminization of rural India happening in this way.

16. The esteemed panelists have raised some important
issues:
“Financial literacy is very important”
said Usha Anathasubramanian, the CMD of
Bharatiya Mahila Bank
She referred to the 44 million women living in rural areas who are oblivious about
this key factor which contributes in development of the banking sector.

17. The talk was followed by Q & A session:
some interesting questions which keep resonating with the
audience and had an impact on their minds are as follows:
Ms. Sangeeta Mehra, a woman entrepreneur
posed a question: “Given the ups and
downs of a business, how can a
bank help a business in ensuring
basic financial security for all the
people engaged in the business?”
She inquired whether BMB is taking any
holistic approach that works out well to
secure the priorities of a woman entrepreneur
which includes profits but also the well-being
of the people she is responsible for.
Her concern was that, a businesswoman can claim for life insurance at times
when she suffers due to adverse health, but what about those lives that are
associated with the business she runs and how they can be insured against
business risks.

18. The talk was followed by Q & A session:
Mansi Mahajan, Chapter Chairperson of Noida
Chapter of ASSOCHAM Ladies League asked:
“On what grounds Bharatiya Mahila
Bank offers loans to women and is it
going to be rigid in case of providing
loans?”
She said that she had faced some grave problems when she claimed loans. She had been
through lots of paper works and underwent some sleepless nights. Finally what comes to
her was no less than a shock, she was refused to be given loan as she was unmarried and
could not provide collaterals.

19. The talk was followed by Q & A session:
Ms. Kausy Madhavan, Founder of Shopkhoj asked:
“What are the different schemes BMB has
introduced to promote asset ownership
among women?”
As there are parts in India, where patriarchal laws are still at work. Women are not entitled
to property, properties are bought on the names of men; only they are the privileged sect
who own properties and are considered to be the rightful holders of assets.

20. The talk was followed by Q & A session:
A student of NIILM-CMS asked a question
about how bank sees the budding talent of
young women: “Is Bharatiya Mahila
Bank taking up any step to promote
small scale businesses and create a
space where women can grow and
excel in their own fields of
expertise?”
She had given an example of her native place, interiors of Gujarat, where young girls are
very good Mehndi artist, soft toys maker, and beauticians; but they remain empty handed.
What they might be lacking could be proper guidance and encouragement, the result being
their dissociation with the different art forms; once they were used to be expert in.

21. Inspiring success stories of women entrepreneurs:
SEWA (Self Employed Women’s Association) a trade union
registered in 1972.
An initiative started by women to help their peer group members.
SEWA is an organization of poor, self-employed women workers,
where women can earn a living through their own labor or small
businesses.

22. Inspiring success stories of women entrepreneurs:
Shri Mahila Griha Udyog, the makers of Lijjat Papad,
symbolizes the strength of women.
The organization restricts its membership to women only, starting
with papad, it now offers a wide range of food products.

23. Inspiring success stories of women entrepreneurs:
A moving story was told by Usha Ananthasubramanian about a rag-picker
turned director, Manju Ben of Gujarat. Manju Ben used to roam around
from place to place to pick rags, since her adolescent days she was into this business of
rag picking.
Gradually she developed business skills to address her job smartly. Over the time, she
groomed and today there are 750 women rag-pickers reporting her every day and works
under her direction.

24. Students of NIILM-CMS, top ranked B School of India at the
session
Dr. Harbeen Arora, Global Chairperson, ASSOCHAM Ladies League with
students of NIILM-CMS, top ranked B School of India.

25. Students of NIILM-CMS, top ranked B School of India at the session

26. Open a Bank Account with BMB ☺
All present in audience volunteered to open a Bank
Account with BMB to play a humble role in its success