Financial inclusion has been the focus of the policies of the Reserve Bank cof India since 2005-06. Along with various initiatives of the Government of India, the RBI approved the setting up of Small Finance Banks (SFB) in the year 2015. SFBs are niche banks set up to undertake basic banking activities for the unserved and underserved sections of the population. This paper traces the progress of SFBs in India in terms of the number of branches, regional spread and volume of business. It was found that since their establishment, over the period of five years, there has been considerable expansion of SFB branches with a wider regional spread and substantial increase in their volume of business. Towards the end of the study period it was also found that more SFB branches were set up in semi-urban and rural areas. The preliminary examination of SFBs suggests that they are progressing in the right direction as envisaged in the objectives behind setting them up.

The Indian Banking Sector has exhibited great dynamism in its operations and functions since the introduction of banking reforms in the early 1990s. While the banking reforms have been comprehensive, encompassing several aspects of concern, of particular significance is the entry to private banks, both domestic and foreign, post easing of entry norms that has instilled competition into the system. The entry of new private sector banks and foreign banks in India have led to structural changes in the Indian Banking Sector in terms of ownership pattern, deposit structure, advances and asset-based structure, and so on. On all these dimensions, the degree of privatization of the banking sector in India is rising, even as public sector banks continue to dominate. An important implication of these developments is the increasing thrust of banks on expanding the scope of their operations in order to maintain and increase their profitability, leading to change in the income structure, among other things. Increased use of technology has further enabled delivery of a wider range of financial products and services under the same roof. The present paper seeks to gauge the changes in the bank group-wise income structure in India. The study also compares economies of scope for the three bank groups; viz., public sector banks, private sector banks and foreign banks. The study finds substantial change in the income structure of the three bank groups over two and a half decades post banking reforms. The findings establish the greater scope efficiency of public sector banks in India.

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Countries across the world are witnessing a heightened awareness in addressing the issues and challenges of sustainable development. There is no economic or social activity wherein the considerations of environmental viability may be seen as an option. The United Nations Sustainable Development Agenda 2030 has caught the collective imagination of leaders of the world pressing all stakeholders in the growth process to embrace the goals of Sustainable Development in all spheres of life. The historic Paris Agreement in 2015 gave further impetus to this phenomenon with sovereign countries pledging their nationally determined contributions to lower national emissions. In the achievement of these goals, the role of finance is extremely crucial. Particularly, countries have acceded to harmonize financial flows “with a pathway towards low greenhouse gas emissions and climate-resilient development” (UNFCC). India too is making efforts to align its financial sector with the tenets of sustainability. The banking sector is one of the most important segments of the financial sector. In India, the banking sector has been increasing in size and coverage due to continual efforts of the government. It is of utmost importance therefore, that banks incorporate green practices in their operations. With this premise, this paper sought to review the state green banking in India. The paper also attempted to examine the green banking practices in other countries and draw important lessons from international experiences.