Some Determinants of Changes in the Real Income of Microfinance Programme Participating Households in Kerala

This article examines whether the family households participating in the microfinance programme experience positive changes in their real income. This article uses the individual data of 300 microfinance participating households, the data of 45 credit delivery groups in three sample branches of a microfinance institution (Evangelical Social Action Forum-Microfinance and Investments Pvt Ltd [ESAF-MFIL]/Evangelical Social Action Forum-Self-help Group [ESAF-SHG] federation) in Kerala, India. The analysis has been conducted by using logistic regression model. This study finds that either (a) an increase in the number of working members in a family household, or (b) presence of Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) employed members in a family household or (c) an increase in the expenditure on assets by members of a family household is likely to increase the real income of the family household. However, the presence of educated members in a family household is less likely to increase...