Financial unification more important than political: Union Min

Union rural development minister Chaudhary Birender Singh today said that "financial unification" is far more important than the "political unification".
Inaugurating the "Fourth National Seminar on Microfinance - Issues & challenges" organised by Bankers Institute of Rural Development' (BIRD) Lucknow, a training institute of NABARD, the minister said "financial unification through financial inclusion is far more important than the political unification".
Appreciating efforts of NABARD in providing leadership and handholding support to the microfinance sector, he complimented BIRD for its commendable job in the sphere of training of various stakeholders in the area of agriculture and rural development.
Emphasising the role and importance of microfinance, he said it has a lot of significance as the poor depends on small loan for various economic activities and consumption needs in the rural area. "Microfinance has made a significant achievement by its coverage of more than 10 crore families in rural areas," he said.

The minister urged the panelist, researchers, experts and other stakeholders to think innovative and bring new and affordable products and ideas that will meet the present and future requirements and aspirations of the rural areas and population.
On the occasion, the minister also released the publication, Micro Finance Review, a half yearly journal brought out by BIRD, Micro Finance year book 2015-16 and also inaugurated the E-Learning Module of BIRD, Lucknow on Microfinance.