Dehradun 21 May:
Chief Secretary Alok Kumar Jain observed that the standard set for opening the banks as per the population was not relevant in Uttarakhand as it had a scattered population. He, instead, advocated adopting cluster approach.
Chief Secretary Jain, at a meeting with the bankers held at Secretariat on Monday, stressed on opening banks at Nyaya Panchayats. He said that out of total 670 Nyaya Panchayats 151 was still without proper banks as banking facilities were being provided in these areas through mini banks.
Chief Secretary advised the officers of Post Offices and Cooperative Banks to make optimum use of Information Technology. He said that these banks should also be high-tech like commercial banks. Chief Secretary was apprised that Post Office and Cooperative Banks would go online by the year 2013. Mr. Jain said that only 8, 13,000 accounts of Rural Development Department were in banks and 1, 77, 000 in Post Offices and through these accounts banks were being provided business of Rs. 417 crore. Similarly 4, 65, 000 beneficiaries were with Social Welfare Department. He said that there would be business of Rs. 400 crore for banks when pension and scholarship of beneficiaries would be credited in their accounts.
Chief Secretary said that general public should get banking facilities near to their homes and financial activities took place in far flung areas. He also asked BSNL officers to ensure connectivity in remote areas.
It may be noted that Governor of Reserve Bank of India D Subbarao and Banking Secretary of Government of India DK Mittal are scheduled to visit Uttarakhand to discuss extension of banking facilities and measures to increase Credit-Deposit Ratio in the State.
Also present in the meeting were Secretary Finance Radha Raturi, Secretary Cooperative PS Gusain, Secretary Food and Supplies Subardhan, Additional Secretary Finance Sharad Chandra Pandey and officers of various banks.
