The Role of Co-operative Societies in Fulfilling the Financial Needs of Village Farmers and Improving their Living Standards in Belthangady Taluk, Karnataka

Abstract

Commercial banks and co-operative banks are two major divisions of banking sector in India. When the commercial banks contribute to the growth of economy the village farmers are neglected although they pool good chunk of the financial growth of the nation. Co-operative banks have emerged to fill the gap. It is a study on the role of co-operative societies in fulfilling the financial needs of village farmers and in providing their standard of living in Belthangady Taluk, in Dakshina Kannada district, Karnataka state, India. The results show that 75% of the members of Co-operative Societies are agriculturists among whom 80% had taken loan from the Co-operative Society. The Co-operative Societies helped those farmers to improve the standard of living and multiple schemes were planned for farmers' benefit. More than 16 types of financial help is provided by such societies.