Saija Microfinance

Saija Microfinance

The Need for Microfinance

Getting access to credit, sometimes, becomes difficult even for a salaried or self-employed professional. Imagine, how would a poor un-employed individual get a loan amidst enormous banking formalities? A large segment of people who live under poverty find it hard to get finance from established lending institutions. As the country aim for an inclusive growth at all sectors, the provision of micro credit is certainly a powerful tool that will bring financial inclusion.

Saija Microfinance Vision

Having visualised financial inclusion is the only way for development, Saija Microfinance helps poor communities to establish small businesses in the society. The beneficiaries include fishermen, artisans, farmers, small entrepreneurs, deprived communities etc.

Advantages and Features of Saija Microfinance

• Aimed at empowering poor women and their livelihood
• To improve the living conditions of the marginalised people
• To fund the small and micro business entrepreneurs

Saija Microfinance Products and Services

Saija Microfinance provides to poor men and women the following products and services.

SAIJA Karobar Rin (SKR)

Provides financial assistance to self-employed men & women to support their business enterprises. This loan follows the group loan model where the group needs to consist 4 to 6 members.

• Increase in working capital
• Purchase of fixed assets
• Expansion & Improvement in business

Loan Range: Rs.5,000 – Rs.1,00,000

Interest rate: 24.7225% per annum (diminishing)

Processing fee: 1% of loan amount including GST

SAIJA Mahila Rin (SMR)

This is a group loan where a group can consist of 6 to 30 members. This is a woman exclusive loan to help with

• Income generating activities in their household.
• Genuine consumption needs such as, education, household improvement etc.

Loan Range: Rs. 5,000 – Rs.1,00,000

Interest rate: 24.7225% per annum (diminishing)

Processing fee: 1% of loan amount including GST

Saija Vridhi Rin

Some interior villages in India do not have access to electricity. To help those marginalised section of community, Saija Microfinance offer loans to purchase solar lights. Additionally, the loan helps them buy solar cooking and solar energy based minor irrigation facilities as well.

Loan Range: Rs. 10,000/- to 20,000/-

Interest Rate: 24.7225% per annum (diminishing)

Processing Fee: 1% including GST

SAIJA Urja Rin (SUR)

Provides financial assistance to clients for:

• Purchasing solar lighting products
• This decreases the dependence of clients from traditionally used harmful to health oil lamps and increasing the use of clean and renewable energy

Loan Amount: Rs. 1899

Frequency: 13 Fortnightly instalments

Interest Rate: 24.7225% per annum (diminishing)

Processing Fee: 1% of loan amount including GST

Saija Phone Rin

Loan is given to the client to purchase solar lighting products

Loan Range: Rs. 7000

Repayment mode: Fortnightly/Monthly

Interest Rate: 24.7225% per annum (diminishing)

Processing Fee: 1% including GST

Saija Jal Rin

Purchase of Non-Grid Solar Product

Loan Range: Rs. 3399

Repayment mode: Weekly/Fortnightly/Monthly

Interest Rate: 24.7225% per annum (diminishing)

Processing Fee: 1% including GST

Eligibility Criteria for Saija Microfinance

Following are the eligibility criteria to get micro credit from Saija Microfinance

• Should be women between 18 to 55 years of age
• Should be a Permanent resident of a village or slum
• Should be a joint liability group

Saija Microfinance Location

To apply for a loan with Saija Microfinance, you can contact them at their branches or the head office located in Patna.

Head office Address

3rd Floor at Shiv Vaibhav Enclave,

Beside Telephone Exchange

New Bypass Road, Anishabad Patna, Pin 800002

Toll Free: 1800 345 6279

You can also reach them out to register your feedback, complaint, grievance or query at info(at)saija(dot)in.

Grievance Redressal Mechanism at Saija Microfinance

Saija Microfinance aims to provide resolution to their customers in a fair and timely manner. All the passbooks are provided with the telephone number of branch managers in order to contact them for any query and complaints. Customers can also call the helpline numbers 0674-2475173 for registering any complaint or grievances. Following steps can be followed in registering your compliant with the company.

Step 1: Complaint Register

The customers can directly walk in to the branch office and register the complaint by filling up the complaint form available.

Step 2: Letter of Correspondence

Any complaints received are redressed within 15 days. If not resolved within the timeline mentioned, it can be escalated with the customer grievance cell. The nodal officer can be contacted either via mail or at the Grievance Redressal officer at the following address.

Grievance Redressal Officer 

F-101, 1st Floor, Zandu Mansion,

Mohammadpur, Near Badi Parking,

R.K.Puram, New Delhi – 110066.

Telephone : +91- 11-42580045

Email Id: customercare(at)saija(dot)in

Microfinance: A short Introduction

Microfinance is a type of banking service that is provided to unemployed or low-income individuals or groups especially people who have no access to credit in the formal banking system. Microfinance is an alternative to banks for people who live in remote villages of the country. The goal of micro credit companies is to provide a financial opportunity to poor people to become self-supportive and to those who did not have to avail formal credit. While microfinance is concentrated in the rural regions, it is also prevalent in urban poor, who have continued to be a segment that has been neglected by the organized form of banking.

Microfinance, an Alternative to Banks

Though India is experiencing a rapid growth at all sectors, there are still a certain percentage of people who are not covered by the formal banking system. Firstly, most of these people do not have a bank account and getting a loan from bank is even more a tough task.

Banks demand a steady source of income, worthy collateral, credit score etc. to provide a loan. People who have none of these have no chance of availing a credit to become self-supportive. More importantly banks require authenticated documents like ID proof, address proof, PAN, Aadhar card, proof of continuous employment which is not easily available with the segment that does not have much or any of the above documents required. These documents form the bulk of the qualifying criteria, which if an applicant does not meet will be rejected for a loan. Microfinance in India is addressing this need of the people.

Microfinance, identifying, small entrepreneurs come forward to uplift their lives by providing micro credit within their repayment capacity. The Microfinance companies conduct camps at remote villages and some urban pockets and offer financial assistance.

Who Are the Beneficiaries of Microfinance?

The established lending institutions generally cover salaried or self-employed professionals who have a steady source of income or work in an organised sector. Microfinance benefits the people who are involved in profession such as fishery, artisans, constructions works, vendors, small entrepreneurs etc. These individuals generally work in unorganised sectors and live in remote villages or slums in urban areas.

How Does Microfinance Help?

Economically weaker section of people get access to micro credit to enhance their lifestyle in several ways. With varied products from the Microfinance companies, the borrowers can use the funding for start a small business, build a low-cost house, get sanitation facilities etc.

Microfinance companies generally work through self-help groups in the rural and urban localities to provide the financial assistance to economically deprived people.

How Can Indians With No Credit History Get Loans and Credit Cards?

Our country can boast of a vibrant economy only when all segment of people can get access to credit. This is the only way to achieve an inclusive growth. CreditMantri, helps individuals who are otherwise unable to get credit in any form through formal banking system. The first-time borrowers who do not have a credit score or collateral can use CreditMantri platform to explore lenders who are willing to lend to them based on other criteria.

CreditMantri works with multiple lenders which include leading banks and NBFCs to also develop special products like small ticket loans which are able to provide such applicants a loan even with no credit score, a bad credit rating and with negative issues.

About Saija Microfinance

Formed in Bihar’s capital Patna, Saija Microfinance aims to get credit in its focus areas viz urban and rural poor and at the same time help micro businessmen from other parts of the country including the north-east.

Frequently Asked Questions About Saija Microfinance

1. Who can avail credit from Saija Microfinance?

People who are not covered by formal banking system, living in urban slums or remote villages can avail micro credit from Saija Microfinance.

2. For what purposes the micro credit is offered by Saija Microfinance?

Saija Microfinance is provided for the purpose of micro business units, low-cost house building, construction of toilets, setting up irrigation system, purchase of solar ware etc.

3. What is maximum amount of loan you can get under Saija Microfinance?

The loan amount is disbursed as per the scheme and repaying capacity of the borrower.

4. Does Saija provide micro credit only for women borrowers?

Yes, the micro credit is provided only for women as they have less chance of availing financial assistance from established financial institutions.

5. Are there insurance benefits for availing Saija Microfinance?

Yes, you can get insurance benefits as long as you repay the loan amount.