By Bizodisha Bureau, Bhubaneswar, February 22, 2016: The Odisha government has decided to facilitate opening of banks in all the gram panchayats across the state. The move will further the government’s efforts to maximum number of people, especially those who are living in remote areas, under financial inclusion mission.

“Banks will be opened in all panchayats which have no bank branches,” informed state chief secretary Aditya Prasad Padhi after the State Level Bankers’ (SLB) meet here on Monday.

Mr Padhi admitted 75 per cent of panchayats in the state had no banks.

“The situation is such that 80-90 per cent panchayats in the four backward districts of Kandhamal, Nabarangpur, Malkangiri and Nuapada have no banks. Opening of new banks in these areas will bring more people under the mission of financial inclusion,” Mr Padhi told reporters.

The chief secretary said the state government had planned to facilitate opening of 60 bank branches in these four backward districts.

“The state government will provide financial assistance of Rs 3 lakh each for opening of each branch. The panchayat office building can be used for functioning of the bank branch,” he added.
Odisha has 6234 gram panchayats spread across 30 districts.