Sa-Dhan Hosts 19th National Conference on Inclusive Growth in New Delhi

Sa-Dhan, the first and the largest association of impact  finance institutions, which includes MFIs, mainly, and a Self regulatory organisation (SRO) recognised by RBI for microfinance institutions, is organising  its 19th National Conference on Inclusive Growth, on October 23-24, 2024, at The Ashok, New Delhi. The conference, themed “Driving Sustainable Development through Inclusive Finance,” will bring together leading figures from government, banking, and the microfinance sector.

The two-day conference will have 13 sessions on various topics on sustainable and inclusive growth agenda with 78 speakers participating in the discussions. The speaker list feature distinguished personnel including Dr. Sourabh Garg, IAS, Secretary, MoSPI, Government of India; Mr. Shailesh K Singh, IAS, Secretary, Rural Development; and Mr. M Nagaraju, IAS, Secretary, DFS, Ministry of Finance. Other key speakers include Mr. Shaji KV, Chairman, NABARD; Mr. Manoj Mittal, CMD, SIDBI; and Mr. Jayant Kr Dash, ED, Reserve Bank of India.

The conference agenda encompasses critical discussions on sustainable microfinance, technological innovation, gender-responsive finance, and the future of microfinance in India. Special focus will be given to the “Lakhpati Didi” initiative and its role in elevating the Self-Help Group model to new level.

“The 19th edition of the conference will focus on inclusive growth and sustainable development, with a deeper understanding on various initiatives needed to uplift the poorer sections from financial exclusion and financial vulnerability and ushering financial wellbeing to the poorer households . The role microfinance in this would be discussed with special focus on the sustainability in the light of the regular occurrence of climate related events in the country which impact the poorer household the most.,” said Shri Jiji Mammen, Executive Director and CEO of Sa-Dhan.

The event will also feature prominent industry leaders including Dr. Charan Singh, Non-Executive Chairman, Punjab & Sindh Bank; Mr. T Koshy, MD & CEO, ONDC; Dr. Harsh Bhanwala, Chairman MCX , Madhav Nair Secretary IBA, Prof. Sriram IIM Bengaluru and industry leaders like Shri H P Singh, Sadaf Sayeed, Vineet Chattree, Debyajyoti Pattanaik and Purvi Bhavsar, among over 75 distinguished speakers from banking, microfinance, technology, and policy sectors.

“The Conference will give a new direction to the microfinance and ecosystem players keeping in view the recent developments, including new regulatory frame work and post covid credit growth in the sector. An exclusive session is there to discuss on the experience of new regulatory framework”

The conference will cover comprehensive sessions on sustainable microfinance as a catalyst for inclusive development, re-imagining microlending through technological innovation, green microfinance in the Asia Pacific Region, strategic pathways for MFIs, and financial well-being of microfinance households.

The conference will conclude with a comprehensive discussion on “Microfinance 2034,” exploring the sector’s future role in India’s development story.