Banks in Odisha urged to use state data for opening accounts

To extend banking facility to all panchayats, the state has assured that banks would be provided space in panchayat buildings and Rajiv Gandhi Seva Kendras free of cost

The Odisha government has asked the banks operating in the state to use data of the panchayati raj department for opening of bank accounts of those who are still excluded from accessing the banking service.

"A detailed enumeration of families done by the panchayati raj department will be shared with the banks to help them (banks) in identifying the people for opening of accounts so that one or two accounts can be opened in every family", said UN Behera, additional chief secretary (finance) after attending the special State Level Bankers Committee (SLBC) meeting on Comprehensive Financial Inclusion (Sampoorn Vitteeyea Samaveshan).

Behera suggested that the panachayati raj department can help banks to organise camps for opening of accounts.

A drive will be taken up to open as many accounts in one year (between 15 August 2014 and 2015) on mission mode. Efforts will be made to open two bank accounts in each family, he added.

The financial inclusion plan to be launched on August 15 by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, aims to open 20 crore accounts under a mission mode. About 60,000 new bank correspondents or bank mitras would be appointed under the plan.

It may be noted that the SLBC has finalised an action plan to provide banking services in all the 4,597 unbanked gram panchayats in Odisha in five years.

Out of the total 4,597 brick and motor branches to be opened in the unbanked gram panchayats, public sector banks will open branches in 3,048 panchayats while private banks will cover 861 gram panchayats. Odisha Gramya Bank and Utkal Grameen Bank have been allocated 331 and 357 panchayats respectively.

To extend banking facility to all the panchayats, the state government has assured that banks would be provided space in panchayat buildings and Rajiv Gandhi Seva Kendras free of cost for five years.

The commercial banks opening their branches in unbanked panachayats will be given access to government funds meant for that panchayat.