Over 50% panchayats in Bihar don't have banks

At a time when the centre has launched its ambitious its ambitious "Jan Dhan" scheme to ensure 100 percent financial inclusion, banking services in Bihar is moving at snail's pace. Over 50 per cent panchayats in the state are still to be covered by banking services.Out of 8463 panchayats in Bihar, 5,298 are yet to be covered with banking service, Finance minister Bijendra Prasad Yadav pointed out in the meeting of the State-Level Bankers' Committee (SLBC) here on Wednesday.

The banks have been tasked to proceed with setting up branches in panchayats and achieve the target in a time-bound manner, Yadav said.

Expressing frustration over the lethargic pace of financial inclusion in Bihar, he said that the banks' performance will be reviewed at the next SLBC meeting to be held in the next quarter and the state government would withdraw its money from under-performing banks.