Supporting Rural and Inclusive Banking
ICICI Bank has developed a robust rural and inclusive banking strategy to address the needs of India’s rural segment. This strategy is based on the integrated nature of the rural ecosystem and is driven by unique offerings designed to capitalise on the diverse opportunities within these markets. ICICI Bank provides tailored banking solutions to meet the needs of four main ecosystems in the rural market: farmers, dealers, self-employed individuals, and micro-entrepreneurs.
The Bank’s Product Offerings and Solutions Include
Working Capital Loans for Crop Cultivation and Post-harvest Activities
Financing against Warehouse Receipts
Term Loans for Farm Equipment
Lending against Gold Jewellery
Personal Loans
Affordable Housing Finance
Auto and Two-wheeler Loans
Additionally, the Bank offers financial solutions to micro-finance institutions, Self-Help Groups (SHGs), cooperatives formed by farmers and corporations, and small and medium enterprises engaged in agriculture-linked businesses.
Rural and Semi-Urban Network
ICICI Bank has developed a comprehensive nationwide network of business centres (branches), ATMs, field staff, and business correspondents providing last-mile access in remote areas. At March 31, 2024, the Bank operates 6,523 business centres across the country, with more than half located in rural and semi-urban areas. It also operates 4,600 ATMs and Cash Recycler Machines in rural and semi-urban areas. The Bank currently extends services to 9,940 rural locations, which are delivered by business correspondents. At March 31, 2024, ICICI Bank had over 21.1 million Basic Savings Bank Deposit Accounts (BSBDAs), of which around 4.4 million accounts opened under the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana.
ICICI Bank’s Network in Rural and Semi-urban Areas
3,300
Business Centres
9,940
Locations covered jointly with business correspondents
Helping Underprivileged Women
ICICI Bank has been proactively working with underprivileged women in the country to enhance their income and make them self-reliant. We address the credit needs of SHGs, a team of 10-15 women engaged in diverse livelihood activities, by providing them with funds. The SHG members pool their savings to promote livelihood activity. Since inception, the Bank has nurtured dreams of over 10 million women by providing them with funds/loans of over ₹ 250 billion.
Success Story
Meenvalai Thozhil Self-Help Group
Koluma village in Tiruppur district, Tamil Nadu
From renting to manufacturing fishing nets
கொளுத்தும் கோடை வெயிலில், தோலைக்காற்று பார்ப்பது, அல்லது குளிர்சாதனப் பெட்டியில் இருந்து ஒரு பாட்டில் குளிர்ந்த தண்ணீரை எடுத்துப் பருகுவது போன்ற வாய்ப்பு சில சின்னஞ்சிறு சுகங்களை ஒரு நாள் நாம் அனுபவிப்போம் என்று நாங்கள் நினைத்துக் கூட பார்த்ததில்லை. எங்கள் குழந்தைகள் நாங்கள் இழுக்க கொண்டிருக்கும் பைபவுட்டுக் கண்ணிமைக்கும் எங்கள் கண்ணின் ஆணந்தக் கண்ணீரால் நிறைந்து வழிகின்றன. (We had never imagined that we would one day be enjoying the little pleasures of life, such as watching television or taking a bottle of cold water from the refrigerator in the scorching summer heat. Our eyes are filled with tears of joy when we see our children study on their laptops.)
We were a group of daily wage earners and small business owners who barely earned enough to sustain ourselves and our families till about a year ago. To enhance our income and improve our lives, some of us got together to form a SHG and started renting out fishing nets. Unfortunately, this did not lead to any significant improvement in our financial condition. We therefore decided to start manufacturing and selling our fishing nets but did not have enough funds to start the venture.
It was then that we learnt about ICICI Bank’s SHG loans and applied for the same. We were delighted when ICICI Bank not only approved our loan but also counselled us on SHG business operations through Vidiyal Social Service Trust, a Self-Help Group Promoting Institution (SHPI). SHPI is a facilitator of the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) for promoting and financing of SHGs.
The loan helped us start our own fishing net manufacturing and selling business. Today, we are one of the most reputable fishing net suppliers in Kolumam village. Our income has doubled, and we have even invested in a generator and an electric motor to streamline our operations. Encouraged by the success of our little venture, we now plan to expand into two additional businesses in Kolumam and Udumalaipettai.
"மே 2023 இல் நாங்கள் கடன் பெற்றிலிருந்து எங்கள் தனிப்பட்ட வாழ்க்கையில் ஏற்பட்ட மாற்றம் அற்புதமானதாக இருந்து வருகிறது. எசிஏசிஐ வங்கி இன் ஆதரவு, நாங்கள் எங்கள் குடும்பங்களுக்கும், குறிப்பாக எங்கள் குழந்தைகளுக்கும் சிறந்த மற்றும் மகிழ்ச்சியான வாழ்க்கையை வழங்குகிறது." (The transformation of our personal lives since we received the loan in May 2023 has been spectacular. We are providing our families, especially our children, with better and happier lives, thanks to ICICI Bank’s support.)
Meenvalai Thozhil Self-Help Group members with fishing nets made by them
Success Story
Sankeerthanam Kudumbashree Self-Help Group
Ambalappuzha village in Alappuzha district, Kerala
From improving livelihoods to transforming lives
ഉപജീവനമാർഗം മെച്ചപ്പെടുത്താനായി ആരംഭിച്ച പദ്ധതി ഞങ്ങളുടെ ജീവിതത്തെ തന്നെ മാറ്റിമറിക്കുന്ന ഒരു സംരംഭമായി മാറിയിരിക്കുന്നു. സങ്കീർത്തനം കുടുംശ്രീ സ്വയം സഹായ സംഘത്തിലെ (എസ്എച്ച്ജി) അംഗങ്ങളായ ഞങ്ങൾ പത്തുപേരും ഒരു വലിയ സ്വനം സാക്ഷാത്കരിക്കുന്നതിൽ വിജയിച്ചിരിക്കുകയാണ്, ഐസിഐസിഐ ബാങ്കിന് നന്ദി (What started as an initiative to improve our livelihoods has turned into a venture to transform our lives. Ten of us, as members of Sankeerthanam Kudumbashree SHG, shared a big dream and succeeded in realising it, thanks to ICICI Bank.)
We started the group in 2003 with the hope of uplifting our lives by enhancing our incomes. Over the next 20 years, we undertook various entrepreneurial ventures and, with our collective hard work, made each of them a success. In November 2023, we took a loan from ICICI Bank to start a micro-enterprise for packing and distributing tea through door-to-door marketing. The loan helped us to procure tea directly from Kumily Tea Garden and pack it locally, in small quantities for retail marketing.
The venture opened a new avenue for business growth for us. During the door-to-door marketing, we identified an opportunity to sell other valuable products, such as Ayurvedic oils for pain relief. Fortunately, one of the SHG members was trained and experienced in Ayurveda and guided the rest of us on the production of different types of Ayurvedic products.
We now sell oils for varicose (swollen) veins, pain relief and hair loss, and a powder for controlling cholesterol under the brand name ‘Sumandhu’. We have also got a registration certificate for selling the products under this brand name. We are happy to see high demand for our products and this has encouraged us to expand and scale up our business. We are now seeking an additional loan from ICICI Bank for this purpose.
ഐസിഐസിഐ ബാങ്കുമായി സഹകരിച്ചതിന് ശേഷം ഞങ്ങളുടെ ജീവിതം ഗണ്യമായി മെച്ചപ്പെട്ടു. ഞങ്ങളേ ാരോരുത്തരും ഇപ്പോൾ സാമ്പത്തികമായി സ്വതന്ത്രരാണ്. കൂടാതെ ഞങ്ങളുടെ കുടുംബങ്ങൾക്ക് സുഖമായി ജീവിക്കാൻ ആവശ്യമായ എല്ലാ സൗകര്യങ്ങളുമു്. ഞങ്ങളുടെ മേഖലയിലെ മറ്റുള്ളവർക്കും അവരുടെ സ്വപ്നങ്ങൾ പിന്തുടരാനും സാമ്പത്തികമായും സാമൂഹികമായും ശാക്തീകരിക്കപ്പെടാനും ഞങ്ങളുടെ വിജയം പ്രചോദനമാകുമെന്ന് പ്രതീക്ഷിക്കുന്നു. (Our lives have improved significantly since we associated with the Bank. Each one of us is now financially independent and our families have all the amenities needed to live comfortably. We hope that others in our region also get inspired by our success to follow their dreams and become financially and socially empowered.)
Members of Sankeerthanam Kudumbashree Self-Help Group with products made by them
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Human Capital
