Contents: Introduction, Objectives and Methodology, Institutional Set-Up and SFCs in India, A Study of Economic Profile, Organisational Framework of SFCs, Resources Mobilisation by APSFC and OSFC, An Appraisal of Lending Operations of APSFC and OSFC, Summary, Conclusions and Suggestions.

The second issue in a new series, Global Financial Development Report 2014 takes a step back and re-examines financial inclusion from the perspective of new global datasets and new evidence. It builds on a critical mass of new research and operational work produced by World Bank Group staff as well as outside researchers and contributors.

The importance of financial inclusion is increasingly recognized by policymakers around the world. Small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) financial inclusion, in particular, is at the core of the economic diversification and growth challenges many countries are facing. In the Middle East and Central Asia (MENAP and CCA) regions, SMEs represent an important share of firms, but the regions lag most others in terms of SME access to financing.

A microstudy of small artisans and small scale industries in Srinagar, Kashmir.

The vibrancy of an economy depends on the constant flow of entrepreneurs who can take up challenges in business and industry. An entrepreneur is one of the important segments of economic growth. Schumpeter observes that economic development consists of employing resources in a different way in doing a new combination of means of production. He contends that economic growth depends on the rate of applied technical progress i.e. innovation rate of applied technical progress in the economic field which in turn depends on supply of entrepreneurs in society. Thus entrepreneur becomes the agent of change in society[1]. Entrepreneur’s motivations & aspirations are conducive to development. Entrepreneurial competence makes all the difference in the rate of economic growth. A broad based entrepreneurial class in India is a felt need and such an entrepreneurial class would speed up the process of activating the factors of production leading to a higher rate of economic growth dispersal of economic activities, development of backward & rural tribal areas, creation of employment opportunities, improvement in the standard of living of the weaker sections of the society and involvement of all sections of the society in the process of growth[2]. An entrepreneur plays a critical role in the process of socioeconomic change by envisaging new opportunities new techniques, new products & by coordinating all other activities.