Abstract
Agro-based enterprises occupy a central place in the rural economy of Nagaon district, Assam, where agriculture and allied activities support the livelihood of a large majority of the population. The growth of such enterprises including rice and food processing, dairy, fishery, sericulture, handloom and horticulture-based units depends significantly on the timely and adequate availability of institutional finance from commercial banks. This paper examines the level of satisfaction of agro-based enterprises with the financial services rendered by commercial banks operating in Nagaon district, using service-quality dimensions of tangibility, reliability, responsiveness, assurance and empathy as an analytical framework. Based on a review of relevant secondary literature on rural and MSME banking in Assam and India, and a proposed primary survey design, the paper identifies procedural delay, collateral requirements, limited financial literacy and inadequate personalised attention as recurring concerns, alongside general satisfaction with deposit and remittance services. The paper concludes with suggestions for improving credit delivery and customer engagement for agro-based enterprises in the district.