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NABARD All India Rural Financial Inclusion Survey (NAFIS) 2021-22

NABARD's NAFIS 2021-22 survey shows significant improvements in rural households' income, expenditure, savings, and financial inclusion since 2016-17. However, challenges persist in landholding size and debt levels.

KJ Staff
NABARD's All India Rural Financial Inclusion Survey (NAFIS) 2021-22
NABARD's All India Rural Financial Inclusion Survey (NAFIS) 2021-22

On 09 October 2024, NABARD released the results of its second All India Rural Financial Inclusion Survey (NAFIS) 2021-22, providing primary survey-based information relating to 1 lakh rural households on several economic and financial indicators for the post-COVID period. Realizing the critical importance of financial inclusion for growth and economic development, NABARD conducted the first such survey for the agricultural year (July- June) 2016-17, results of which were released in August 2018.

Since then, the economy has faced multiple shocks, and wide-ranging policy measures have also been introduced to promote agriculture and enhance rural socio-economic prosperity. The results of NAFIS 2021-22 could help in assessing how different economic and financial indicators of development in rural areas have changed since 2016-17.

Key Highlights of NAFIS 2021-22

  • The average monthly income of households increased by 57.6% during the five-year period from Rs 8,059 in 2016-17 to Rs 12,698 in 2021-22, suggesting a nominal compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 9.5 % (Table 1). Annual average nominal GDP growth during the same period (on financial year basis) was 9%.

  • Average monthly expenditure of households increased during the five-year period from Rs 6,646 in 2016-17 to Rs 11,262 in 2021-22.

  • The share of food in the consumption basket of households declined from 51% in 2016-17 to 47% in 2021-22.

  • Annual average financial savings made by households increased to Rs 13,209 in 2021-22 from Rs 9,104 in 2016-17. 66.0% of households reported to have saved in 2021-22, as against 50.6% in 2016-17.

  • The proportion of households who reported to have outstanding debt moved up from 47.4% in 2016-17 to 52.0 % in 2021-22.

  • The proportion of agricultural households that took loans from institutional sources only increased from 60.5% in 2016-17 to 75.5% in 2021-22 (the corresponding increase for non-agri households was from 56.7% in 2016-17 to 72.7% in 2021-22). The proportion of Agri-households that took any loan from non-institutional sources only decreased from 30.3% in 2016-17 to 23.4% in 2021- 22.

  • Kisan Credit Card (KCC) as a prominent instrument of financial inclusion in the rural farm sector has been found to be very effective. Its coverage has increased significantly during the last five years.

  • The proportion of households with at least one member having any type of insurance increased from 25.5% in 2016-17 to 80.3% in 2021-22.

  • The proportion of households with at least one member receiving any type of pension (old age, family, retirement, disability, etc) increased from 18.9% in 2016- 17 to 23.5% in 2021-22.

  • The proportion of respondents indicating good financial literacy increased by 17 percentage points, i.e., from 33.9% in 2016-17 to 51.3% in 2021-22. The proportion of respondents with sound financial behaviour (such as how they manage money, take financial decisions, monitor expenses and maintain timeliness in paying bills) increased from 56.4% in 2016-17 to 72.8% in 2021-22.

  • The average size of landholding declined from 1.08 hectare in 2016-17 to 0.74 hectare in 2021-22.

Key Indicators – NAFIS 2021-22 versus NAFIS 2016-17

Parameters*

NAFIS 2016-17

NAFIS 2021-22

Average Size of Land Possessed (in Hectare)

1.08

0.74

Average Monthly Income (in Rs)

8,059

12,698

Average Monthly Consumption Expenditure (in Rs)

6,646

11,262

Expenditure on food items as % of

total consumption

51

47

Average Annual Savings (in Rs)

9,104

13,209

Average Annual Investment (in Rs)

5,775

12,904

Average Annual Investment in Financial Assets (in Rs)

1,586

1,642

Average Annual Investment in Physical Assets (in Rs)

4,189

11,263

Average Indebtedness (in Rs)

46,574

47,158

Average Borrowings in AY 2021-22 (in Rs)

36,911

37,243

Average Borrowings from Institutional Sources (in Rs)

25,576

32,484

Average Borrowings from

Non-Institutional Sources in (in Rs)

11,335

4,759

Availability of valid KCC (% of Agri Households)

10.5

44.1

Households with any member associated with Any Microfinance Group (% of all households)

 

22.7

 

28.4

Insurance Penetration (% of all

households)

25.5

80.3

Pension Coverage (% of all households)

18.9

23.5

Financial Knowledge (% of all Households)

48.2

58.3

Financial Attitude (% of all Households)

42.5

59.0

Financial Behaviour (% of all Households)

56.4

72.8

Financial Literacy Score 12 or above (% of all Households)

33.9

51.3

*All households as the base for computing averages

NABARD operates with a mission to promote sustainable and equitable agriculture and rural prosperity through effective credit support, related services, institutional development, and other innovative initiatives.

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