HIMACHAL to have 800 new bank branches by 2016: Sudripta Roy

Dharamsala, July 15, 2013: Chief Secretary Himachal Pradesh , Sudripta Roy said that a comprehensive Financial Inclusion Plan of the state had proposed to open about 800 new bank branches in the state by 2016 in rural belts and remote corners.

He said, “ In the last financial year a record number of 31 new branches were opened during the last quarter till March, 2013 out of which 25 were located in rural areas.” He said that the state was having a strong network of 1,666 bank branches and 861 ATMs.

Speaking during the 128th state-level Bankers Committee Meeting in Shimla on Monday Roy said , “ Under the implementation of Annual Credit Plan, 2012-13, the banks had provided fresh loan amounting to Rs. 8824 crore during last fiscal ended on March, 2013 and proposed to lend Rs. 11,548 crore in the current financial year.” He said that Rural Development Department had finalised the selection of five blocks namely Nurpur, Sadar Mandi, Kandaghat, Basantpur and Haroli for implementation of National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM) in the state on pilot basis

Chief Secretary reviewed the implementation of Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) in six districts of the State and disclosed that more new schemes would be included under the programme. He urged to initiate joint action for successful implementation of AADHAR. He said that the state had attained 93 percent AADHAR coverage and government intends to achieve nearly hundred percent AADHAR generation by September, 2013. He said that AADHAR platform would be utilised for delivery of additional services like PDS, land records, MNREGA, pension etc. besides setting up of an online platform for the departments to perform DBT for their schemes on their own at different locations in the field.