Formal financial institutions (FFIs) in a developing economy often fail to meet the loan requirements of the poor. It is frequently stated that the poor are non bankable. Given this, several models and structures have emerged for making them bankable.

Kerala women while establishing firm foothold in literacy and social status seem yet to identify their role in entrepreneurship. According to Employment Exchange data for 1997, 54 percent of job seekers were educated women.

First, on the basis of primary data collected in a rural setting in the State of Orissa, an attempt has been made in this paper to compare the socioeconomic status of male- and female- headed households.