Nirjuli declared first digital village of Arunachal

Itanagar [Arunachal Pradesh], Apr 23 (ANI): Nirjuli village-1 in Papum Pare district was on Sunday declared as the first digital village of Arunachal Pradesh.

After inaugurating it, North-East circle chief general manager of State Bank of India (SBI) PVSLM Murty said the people here face numerous hurdles in their life for perennial communication hazard so that's why the bank had urged the state government to improve connectivity in the state to speed up socio-economic development of the people.

Recalling his visit to far-flung Ziro, Daporijo, Aalo, Mechuka and Pasighat in the recent past, he said that the SBI has urged the state government to improve connectivity to speed up socio-economic development of the masses.

Announcing all out support of the SBI, he assured support to promote V-set linked customer service point (CSP) and urged the GoAP to offer incentives like Assam Government.

Applauding initiative of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to benefit the masses and reduce their dependence on banks, Itanagar Municipal Council (IMC) deputy chief councillor Tarh Nachung said the step would make the common men bankers anywhere.

"The attitude of the SBI staff should be more customer-friendly and customers are gods," Nachung said.

While recalling the history of stage capital, Gaon Bura Taba Kamin said that this village existed in 1970 and the NEFA capital was shifted from Shillong to this place in 1971 at the initiative of then chief administrator KKA Raja while ASM Nabam Lama lauded the SBI for facilitating the village notified in 2006 to be part of bank revolution to benefit future generations.

RBU regional manager S. Bairagi highlighted the importance of digital village, while Tezpur region DGM Tilak Kumar Dhar informed that of 348 households of the total 493 have been provided with Rupay Card to encourage cash-less transactions.

"This hilly state has huge untapped natural resources which could be tapped after effective road connectivity," he said, adding the SBI has been facing numerous constraints but making all out efforts to improve its services.

Senior bankers led by Murty donated useful articles under its corporate social responsibility to various local educational institutions and health sub-centre.

Moreover, Murty accompanied by senior bankers including Naharlagun SBI AGM Robin Pathak and Arunachal Pradesh Rural Bank chairman Akshya Kumar later donated a 20-seater bus to Abotani Bidya Niketan (ABN) under its CSR. The key was handed over to its chairman Tai Tagak at a function later before it was flagged off.

The SBI aims at reciprocating the benefits received from the society through its CSR, in which the bank spends 1% of its profit, Murty said, adding the bus would be helpful to the students.

The SBI is the lead bank of Arunachal Pradesh with 37 of the total 180 bank branches.