Institute for Money, Technology & Financial Inclusion

The study explored the financial behavior of cycle rickshaw pullers in Delhi to assesstheir strategies and choices in saving, storing and remitting their money and thechallenges and the constraints they faced in managing their money and livelihoods. Thestudy addressed the following research questions: 1. How do the urban poor handle their money matters?; 2. What are the different types of financial instruments used by urban migrants in managing their money?; 3. What are the different strategies used by them in saving, payments, credit and in remitting their money?; 4. What are the diverse practices (storage, concealment and transfers of their earnings and wealth) adopted by them to safeguard their cash and earnings from deception and frauds, theft, temptation to spend on unwanted and unproductive expenditures and other perils and dangers; 5. What are the mechanisms available to the urban poor in minimizing their risk and vulnerabilities? Specifically, what are the social practices (nature of social capital and social networks) that are available to them in the migrated place as well as point of destination to fall back on during crises and emergencies?

Primary data was collected in 5 districts (Central/New Delhi, North, South and West) in Delhi and covered 176 cycle rickshaw pullers randomly selected from 19 areas of their operations. The study used 4 methods: in-depth interviews of rickshaw pullers based on structured questionnaires, focus group discussions, and case studies and key informant interviews to cross-validate specific findings.