Financial Inclusion in Slums**The Role of Banks and other financial institutions in downtrodden areas…***

Financial Inclusion -Meaning“Financialinclusionis delivery of banking services at an affordable cost to the vast sections of disadvantaged and low income groups. Unrestrained access to public goods and services is the sine qua non of an open and efficient society. As banking services are in the nature of public good, it is essential that availability of banking and payment services to the entire population without discrimination is the prime objective of the public policy”.

Karumbalai- IntroductionKarumbalai is a famous developing slum in Madurai situated near Anna Bus stand. With a wide no of Community people living in this locality, this area comprises of nearly 2000 poor houses. Spread in all four directions it is named by the name “S.M.Colony” from the year 1968. It is a small unity based slum setting an example for other people throughout the State.

Karumbalai The scenetic view of karumbalai

The future evolution of Karumbalai

SHG(Self Help Groups)There are three self help groups namely;Tamil Aanai Gents GroupRoja Ladies groupKalanjiyam Groups

Tamil Aanai Gents Group

Roja Ladies group

Kalanjiyam Groups

Role of Self Help GroupsSHG is a group formed by the community people , which has specific number of members like 15 or 20. In such a group the poorest women would come together for emergency, disaster, social reasons, economic support to each other have ease of conversation, social interaction and economic interactions.ObjectivesTo sensitize women and men of target area for the need of SHG and its relevance in their empowerment process.To create group feeling among men and womenTo enhance the confidence and capabilities of men and women.To develop collective decision making among men and women.To encourage habit of saving among women and facilitate the accumulation of their own capital resource base.

Tamil Aanai Self Help Group

Occupation of people in KarumbalaiMost Males at this region work as masons,carpenters,tailors and run small petty shopsMost females work as sweepers, house maids/servants in various areas in and around the slum

People of Karumbalai

Awareness about Banking Facilities A small survey was conducted by the trainees of MISS College MSW Students revealed the fact that 4 out of 10 got knowledge about the banking facilities and are mostly account holders. Few people having account in the respective banks like Canara & SBI stated that they are need to financial guidance from the banks by way of loan for construction of house, education of their children etc…

The Morally Feared GroupsFew innocent people living in the same locality stated that banks/other financial institutions on the area don’t respond better when asked for help. A sect of group say the banker demands additional security and asks to fill too much of forms and application procedures. The sect also pleads the Government of Tamilnadu to take innovative steps to handle this problem.

Social Worker interacting with the residents

SEED- The NGO Sheltering the needs of the poor childrenSeed believes in bringing out the potential of each child by individual care and attention. So many children from among the urban poor drop out because of lack of support at home and in school. Seed provides the critical support necessary for the children to realize their potential and succeed - compete on par with children from more advantaged classes.

The Budding Flowers Of Seed

Challenges faced by slum people at KarumbalaiLife in a slum is hard to imagine. Overcrowding means that privacy is impossible. Water supplies and sanitation are virtually non-existent - to have a tap with running water would be a luxury; a toilet simply a dream. Makeshift shelters provide little or no protection from the heavy monsoon rains or the soaring heat of Madurai's 38 degree summers, and so houses that were crude to begin with often degrade over time.The immediate environment also has serious disadvantages. Very few lanes between the houses are paved and so any rain quickly reduces the surface to a quagmire, and people have to wade through mud and water overflowing from drains. There are no facilities for refuse disposal and rubbish builds up around people's homes, where pigs and flies delight in the heaps of rotting waste.

Role of Social Worker in a SlumA social worker must not neglect do some valid contributions like arranging good food, provide higher & standard uniform education, clothing facilities and shelter for a peaceful living.A social worker must be also a good fund raiser from various charitable and noble hearted institutions including the government.A Social Worker has to “TALK MORE, WORK MoRE”

Team MembersN.SrivathsaDesikanM.VinothAmbedkarG.KannanS.RajkumarM.PrabhuG.AmuthaA.Lourdu MaryPremanandhaniBhavaniMogilanJeyakumarPandiselvan213768