Every gram panchyat to have bank by Mar, 2019 in Odisha

Bhubaneswar, Aug 28: Chief
Minister Naveen Patnaik on Thursday said that the State Government has set a
target to open brick and mortar branches in all unbanked gram panchayats in the
State by different public and private sector banks as well as Regional Rural
Banks (RRBs) by 31st March, 2019.

“With the cooperation
of all commercial banks operating in the State, the State Level Banker’s
Committee has been able to assign each unbanked gram panchayat to a bank for
opening a brick and mortar branch there. Accommodation for these branches will
be provided at the Rajiv Gandhi Seva Kendras free of rent for 5 years,” said
the Chief Minister while launching State-level ‘Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana’
(PMJDY) here.

He further stated that Government
has also been providing interest subvention for crop loans to farmers and term
loans for agriculture as well as short term and long term loans to fish and
dairy farmers to provide institutional credit to them at affordable rates.

“Achieving universal
financial inclusion is a global objective and has several dimensions like
increasing economic activity and employment opportunities for the marginalised
sections of the society which will have a multiplier effect on the economy,” the
Chief Minister said.