The district coordination meeting organizes by AMFI-WB (Association of Microfinance Institutions – West Bengal) in order to strengthen the relationship and information sharing between various government stakeholders and microfinance and banking sector. These meetings aimed to identify and address the district-specific issues and challenges in the MFI/Bank sector, with a focus on protecting borrowers as well as MFI/Bank staff’s interests and appraising important government stakeholders about district-specific matters.
Key objectives of the district coordination meetings;
Strengthening Relationships and Sharing Information: The meetings provided a platform for members from different levels, such as Cluster Heads, Relationship Managers, Area Managers, Divisional Managers, District Managers, State Heads, Customer Relationship Managers, Zonal Heads, Business Development Managers, Branch Managers, and Field Level Employees to come together and share information, exchange advice, and foster strong relationships among themselves.
Addressing District-Specific Issues: The district forums were responsible for addressing district-specific challenges and concerns within the microfinance and banking sector. They worked towards protecting borrowers’ interests and disseminating information, mutual learning, and development support for members and stakeholders.
Surveillance and Risk Management: The district forums also carried out important surveillance functions to monitor various risks in the field, such as geographical concentration and high penetration levels, high-ticket size loans, process violations, external risks related to fraudulent entities, data quality issues, and client-level grievances.
Discussing Industry Evolution: The meetings provided a platform to discuss the evolving trends and needs in the microfinance and banking industry, including areas of information, research, market analysis, and best practices.
Coordinating Ground-Level Interventions: The district coordination meetings aimed to provide logistical support to members and coordinate ground-level interventions, especially during times of crisis. This involved identifying appropriate problems at the district level and ensuring coherence with the policies and objectives of MFIs/Banks.
Advocacy and Program Development: The meetings helped develop compelling arguments and programs to present members’ work effectively using internal and external resources. They aimed to convert members’ expectations from the association into actionable programs and interventions.
Overall, the district coordination meetings serve as an important platform for collaboration, problem-solving, and progress in the microfinance and banking sector in West Bengal.
