Rural push needed for bank branches, ATMs and business correspondents

While banks are closing down branches and ATMs in urban and metropolitan areas because of rising costs and provisioning pressures, the need for brick and mortar outlets in the rural areas remains. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has highlighted the role of branches and ATMs to encourage financial inclusion. Though opening of branches and ATMs in semi-urban and rural areas picked up, the numbers remain highly skewed and a rural push is needed to correct it.