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Indian Journal of Finance

ISSN: 0973-8711 Frequency: Monthly Peer Review: Double-blind Published since: 2007 Language: English
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Original Article

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Financing Climate Resilience from the Bottom Up : A Perspective on Reimagining Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana as India’s Micro-Green Bank

Nishmitha Shetty1,  Badrinarayan Srirangam Ramaprasad2,  Shilpa Praveen3

1 Assistant Professor and Ph.D. Scholar, Nitte (Deemed to be University), Dr. NSAM First Grade College (Dr. NSAMFGC), Nitte - 574 110, Karnataka.

2 Professor , Nitte (Deemed to be University), Justice KS Hegde Institute of Management (JKSHIM), Nitte - 574 110, Karnataka.

3 Assistant Professor, T A Pai Management Institute (TAPMI), Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE), Manipal - 576 104, Karnataka.

Volume 20
Issue 1
Pages 38–46
Year 2026
Received: Aug. 10, 2025 Accepted: Dec. 23, 2025 Published: Jan. 15, 2026
Abstract

Purpose: This perspective explored the untapped potential of the Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana (PMMY) as a channel for climate finance, with particular emphasis on its extensive reach among women borrowers and micro-enterprises in India. It argued for the introduction of a “Green-Mudra” initiative that leveraged existing financial architectures to promote climate-positive economic activities at scale. Design/Methodology/Approach : The perspective proposed the addition of a simple “green tag” to Mudra loan applications and the integration of climate-relevant variables into existing credit-scoring methods. It also suggested that the aggregated carbon benefits of numerous small loans could have been pooled to finance a modest interest rebate, without requiring legislative amendments or new subsidies.

Findings: Illustrations drawn from five climate-positive examples—namely electric vehicle services, solar irrigation, village cold storage, biochar production, and electronics repair—demonstrated clear potential commercial viability, measurable environmental benefits, and substantial scope for inclusive entrepreneurship within the existing Mudra framework. Practical

Implications: The proposed idea, grounded in a risk-aware economic rationale and supported by a monitoring system, could have mitigated repayment risks for lenders, directed climate capital more effectively to grassroots levels, and strengthened livelihood resilience among micro-entrepreneurs. Originality/

Value: The article uniquely positioned PMMY as a readily adaptable instrument for climate finance and underscored the simplicity and efficiency of refining an existing successful program rather than creating new financial mechanisms. The “Green-Mudra” concept highlighted a pragmatic pathway toward rapid, scalable environmental and economic impacts.

Keywords Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana (PMMY) climate finance entrepreneurship green-mudra climate-positive activities
How to Cite

Nishmitha Shetty, Badrinarayan Srirangam Ramaprasad, Shilpa Praveen (2026). Financing Climate Resilience from the Bottom Up : A Perspective on Reimagining Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana as India’s Micro-Green Bank. Indian Journal of Finance, 20(1), 38–46. https://doi.org/10.17010/ijf/2026/v20i1/175218

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