The IFC South Asia Enterprise Development Facility is supporting India’s UTI Bank in expanding its operations to northeast India, with the objective of improving access to finance for micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSME).

UTI Bank is expanding its branch network in the region. A collaboration with IFC’s facility fits well with the bank’s overall plan.

IFC-SEDF has its office in Guwahati and has a focused attention on Northeast India. Over the last three years it has worked in agribusiness, livestock and private healthcare sectors.

Working on a partnership basis, key success stories in northeast India include the introduction of a new retail chain of drug stores, alternative crops in tea gardens, poultry layer birds and rural business hubs. In future, IFC-SEDF intends to work with private sector SMEs in the areas of organic farming and building of appropriate value chains.