Activity Description: BASIX delivers comprehensive insurance and microcredit services to individuals, groups, and external institutions to improve rural livelihoods. BASIX partners with ICICI Prudential and AVIVA to offer life insurance, with Royal Sundaram General Insurance Company for livestock insurance and ICICI Lombard for rainfall insurance.

BASIX also teams up with NGOs, government, co-operative, and private-sector agencies that to provide seed money and sector-specific skills training to rural entrepreneurs.

Activity Description: Jana Surasksha Scheme, a life insurance product offered by Aviva Life Insurance of India, is specifically designed for lower income groups in rural areas.

Marketed by local banks, the scheme provides individual life insurance coverage and can be purchased for any amount ranging from a minimum sum insured of Rs. 20,000 to a maximum sum insured of Rs.50,000. The premium can be paid annually as well as in a lump sum for a 5 year or ten year period. It also has a double accident benefit designed to provide death as well as double accidental death cover. Jana Suraksha can be purchased for any life between 18 to 45 years of age.

Activity Description: Kashf began in 1996 as a microfinance institution that aims to alleviate poverty and to economically empower women from poor households in Pakistan. By September 2004 the Foundation had a network of 30 branches and more than 65,000 clients, most of whom earn between one and two dollars a day.

Kashf provides collateral-free loans (general and emergency) and savings services designed to cater for the needs of poor women. Kashf also provides accidental and life insurance and capacity training programs. These programs are organized by local Kashf centers (run by a core group of 25 women) and teach leadership, gender and reproductive health skills.

Activity Description: Bajaj Allianz, based in India, offers life and general insurance. Its innovative alliance with Regional Rural Banks provides "flexible, affordable and easily available insurance to the masses in the semi-urban and rural areas."

Activity Description: The Kisan Credit Card Scheme extends short term credit to farmers for their cultivation needs.

This scheme allows for the purchase of inputs in a flexible, cost effective manner with very little paperwork. Farmers are also able to draw funds from any bank, not just from the one that issued them credit.

In October of 2004, the Indian Bank transitioned its Kisan Card into a Smart Card, with which farmers can purchase farm inputs and equipments, seeds, fertilisers, tractors, in additions to availing loans. Chip-based smart cards contain embedded information pertaining to land records, limit sanctioned, and amount withdrawn against bank account.

Activity Description:

The non-profit organization, Healing Fields Foundation (HFF) partners with NGOs, private, government, and semi-government sectors to make healthcare more affordable, accessible, and efficient for the underserved people of India.



Through its HFF-HSO (Health Services Organization) Program, HFF creates networks between private insurance companies and local NGOs; the former group tailors and sells specific insurance products, negotiated by HFF, while the latter group, in conjunction with HFF, ensures their delivery to rural populations.

Activity Description: The Apollo Hospitals Group has launched a telemedicine unit in Aragonda village (Chitor - district), Andhra Pradesh. The Aragonda project facility includes telemedicine technology, telemedicine services, preventive health care programs, and even offers health insurance. The Aragonda model plans to extend across 5 Indian states, covering 10 districts and 20 village groups in each state. Similar services will be globally powered by Apollo Hospitals overseas.

Activity Description: Aviva Life Insurance, one of the UK's largest insurance companies, has developed three products designed especially for rural Indians. Amar Suraksha, Jana Suraksha, and Anmol Suraksha offer policies that rural villagers could not previously access. Those interested in Amar Suraksha can calculate their annual premiums using a web-based application available on Aviva's web site. Jana Suraksha, meanwhile, is designed with microfinance self-help groups (SHGs) in mind.