Strengthening the BC Sakhi network in Uttar Pradesh, India

• Aug 4, 2025
• 1 min

Rural populations in Uttar Pradesh often struggle to access formal banking services due to limited infrastructure, low financial literacy, and geographic isolation. To address these barriers, the Government of Uttar Pradesh launched the Business Correspondent (BC) Sakhi initiative. The program identifies women from Self-Help Groups (SHGs) and trains them to serve as bank agents, delivering doorstep banking services to remote and underserved rural areas. MSC played a pivotal role in supporting the scale-up of the BC Sakhi initiative.

MSC provided technical assistance to the Uttar Pradesh State Rural Livelihoods Mission (UPSRLM) to digitally onboard and manage BC Sakhis through a mobile application and web-based platform, enabling streamlined deployment and real-time monitoring. We also developed customized training modules to enhance the capacity of BC Sakhis in delivering secure and effective financial services. In addition, MSC offered ongoing support to strengthen operational processes and promote the long-term sustainability of the BC Sakhi model.

By May 2025, this initiative helped identify, train and successfully onboard 40,000 women as BC Sakhis across Uttar Pradesh. These agents now actively deliver banking services in remote areas and significantly expand financial access. To date, the BC Sakhis have reached over 68 million adults, processed transactions worth more than USD 4 billion, and earned a collective USD 11 million in commissions—advancing both financial inclusion and women’s economic empowerment in the state.

The Gates Foundation commissioned the project.