Dehra Dun, May 22 (PTI) The Uttarakhand government has asked bankers to adopt cluster approach for opening up bank branches in Uttarakhand as the existing criteria based on the population is not relevant in the state. Chairing a meeting of bankers here last evening, state Chief Secretary Alok Kumar Jain said the standard criteria of population for opening up of bank branches is not relevant in Uttarakhand where population is scattered, said an official release here. The meeting was held ahead of the scheduled visit of Reserve Bank of Governor D Subbarao and Banking Secretary of Government of India D K Mittal, who will discuss expansion of banking facilities and measures to increase Credit-Deposit Ratio in the state. Jain said banks should be opened at nyay panchayat level. He said out of total 670 nyaya panchayats, banks were absent in 151 of them and banking facilities were being provided in these areas through mini-banks. In this regard, the Chief Secretary advised the officers of post offices and co-operative banks to make optimum use of information technology. Jain said only 8,13,000 accounts of rural development department were in banks and 1,77,000 in post offices. Through these accounts, banks were being provided a business of Rs 417 crore. He added that there would be business to the tune of Rs 400 crore for banks when pension and scholarship of beneficiaries would be credited in their accounts. The Chief Secretary also said general public should get banking facilities at their doorsteps. He also asked BSNL officials to ensure connectivity in remote areas.
Src: IBN Live