“Cheap and affordable credit is essential for poor households both in rural and urban areas.” In the light of the above statement explain the social and economic values attached to it.[CBSE 2013]

OR

Why is cheap and affordable credit important for the country’s development? Explain
any three reasons.[CBSE 2018]

Cheap and affordable credit is essential for poor households:

1. The informal sector lends at a high-interest rate in rural areas so the cost for the borrower is much more.

2. When the cost of borrowing of more, large portion of income goes in repaying loans rather than investing it.

3. Often it leads to debt trap where the amount to be repaid is more than the borrower’s income and he has to borrow more.

Explanation: Without the benefits of the formal sector, rural households have no option other than going to informal lenders who only exploit them.