The agricultural sector occupies a key position in India's economy. It provides employment to about 65% of the working population of India. Being the backbone of India's economy, agriculture has been treated as a priority sector for the allocation of institutional credit. The low growth rate of agriculture in the past few years has further strengthened the channels of credit flow to this sector. Micro credit has emerged as a visible credit channel to the poor, as their access to conventional credit channels is constrained by the requirement of collateral and high transaction cost. Micro finance is routed through Self-Help Groups (SHGs). Over the years, the SHG-Bank Linkage Program - which includes commercial banks, regional rural banks, and co-operative banks - has emerged as the major micro finance program in the country. This book, authored by experts in the field of agricultural finance, provides an in-depth analysis of the current state of agricultural/rural finance in India, the emergence of micro finance, financial inclusion efforts, and related matters.