• Sibi Natuvilakkandy
• Swapna Kumar K

Financial inclusion of vulnerable is essential for empowering rural population and bringing them in the forefront of economic activities. Access to financial services to the women and marginalised, is a prerequisite for poverty reduction employment generation social upliftment and thereby achieving inclusive growth. Women are excluded from formal payment system and access to financial market due to their secondary status in the society and lack of financial literacy. The current article investigates the awareness of rural women about various financial services and products and also the use of financial services. An analysis of primary data collected from,120 rural women households in Uzhamalakkal Panchayath in Trivandrum District of Kerala State show that majority of the respondents have awareness about bank deposits and ATM cards.But the respondents awareness regarding shares and debentures, mutual funds ,stock markets and various innovative banking services are very poor. Regarding the use of financial products or services, the study reveals that the majority of rural women are using traditional financial services. The uses of various innovative financial services are very rare among rural women.

Regional Disparity, Women empowerment, inclusive growth, financial literacy,financial inclusion.

"Financial Literacy Among Rural Women:A Case Study of Women Households in Uzhamalakkal Panchayath in Thiruvananthapuram District of Kerala", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.6, Issue 2, page no.1500-1504, February 2019, Available :http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR1902E13.pdf

"Financial Literacy Among Rural Women:A Case Study of Women Households in Uzhamalakkal Panchayath in Thiruvananthapuram District of Kerala", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org | UGC and issn Approved), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.6, Issue 2, page no. pp1500-1504, February 2019, Available at : http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR1902E13.pdf