How do the poor handle money? What do the financial diaries of char dwellers tell us about financial inclusion?
Date
2013
Authors
Lahiri-Dutt, Kuntala
Samanta, Gopa
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Alliance for Community Capacity Building
Abstract
Derived from livelihoods surveys and ethnographic material about people living on the chars, or river islands, in deltaic lower Bengal, this paper illustrates the complex, diverse and ingenious ways that the poor manage money. These islands constitute some of the most vulnerable housing locations of some of the poorest communities; state services and facilities do not reach the chars because they are not listed as land in revenue records. It demonstrates that the poor live in a diverse economy where community spirit, family assistance and trust play roles equally important to markets. In doing so, it puts forth a grounded-in-the-field, evidence-based, critique of the slogan �financial inclusion� that has gained prominence in recent years.
Description
Keywords
Citation
Collections
Source
Space and Culture, India
Type
Journal article