kalanjiam Development Finanicial Services (KDFS)
KDFS is a development financial institution set up by DHAN Foundation in September 2001 under Sec. 25 of the Companies Act, 1956. It is registered legal entity to serve the poor on non-profit basis. Presently Kalanjiam, Vayalagam, Rainfed programme and Coastal programme and other NGO SHGs are its members.
KDFS functions mainly to bridge the gap due to delay in the sanction of loans from the mainstream financial institutions and commercial banks by providing timely assistance. It also acts as financial linkage institution to meet the needs of the poor wherever there is no commercial bank in the place of operation of the locations.
Objectives
- To provide credit facilities to poor individuals joined together as ‘self-help groups’
- To facilitate and liaise with government, resource institutions for establishing financial and other linkages
- To promote, develop, finance rural and urban industries in all fields of benefit and interest to the poor
Governance
KDFS is governed by poor people, like other ‘people institutions’ promoted by DHAN. Board of Directors consist of ten persons of which four are people leaders and the remaining six are eminent development workers govern the institution.
Areas of Operations
KDFS is currently operating in 12 states viz. Tamil Nadu, Pondicherry, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Orissa, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Assam, Jharkhand and Bihar networking with Kalanjiam and Vayalagam programme of DHAN Foundation and also SRTT partner NGOs like IBTADA, Aravali, Srijan, etc.
