Financial Access and Business Performance of Urban Unorganised Sector Enterprises: A Study of Assam in Northeast India

Abstract

The urban unorganised sector has been a dominant characteristic feature of the developing countries providing livelihood to a disproportionately large number of households for prolonged period. However, enterprises in this sector are often stunted by myriads of problems among which meagre access to formal financial services is a crucial constraint, as access to other enabling conditions often hinges upon access to finance. This article is based on a study of such enterprises in the Northeast Indian state of Assam, where access to finance is relatively limited in general. Using inputs from a customised survey, the article explores the extent to which the accessibility of financial services influences the growth and financial performance of the unorganised sector enterprises in Assam. Tools employed include a customised financial access index, a generalised linear model and an ordered LOGIT regression. The results show that the financial performance of the enterprises is not significantly associated with the extent of their financial access, but their growth is critically dependent on it.