Uttarakhand appoints BCs to achieve financial inclusion

Dehradun, Jul 26 (PTI) In order to achieve financial inclusion in Uttarakhand, mapping of villages has been completed and business correspondents (BCs) are being appointed, a state government official said today. State Chief secretary Alok Kumar Jain said the extension of banking service in remote areas would result in employment generation and enhance self-employment opportunities. Jain, during his meeting with Deputy Managing Director of State Bank of India (SBI) B Sriram here said extension of banking service would also increase credit deposit ratio in the state. He said after the appointment of BCs, the national BCs would maintain coordination with them and carryout banking activities. "Beside fixed honorarium, BCs will be paid incentives, too," he said adding that the villager would not have to go to banks but banks would come to them through BCs now. Jain said there are 9,000 government ration shops and 15,000 revenue villages in the state. He added that decision has been taken to computerise all the ration shops and ration cards would be prepared in the form of smart cards. "Banks can directly open the accounts of ration card holders with the help of the food department," he said. Jain said efforts are on to provide connectivity in rural areas with the help of BSNL and at places where there are no connectivity VSAT would be set up.