New Delhi, Sep 7 (IANS) The government is seeking to provide banking cover to all habitations of 2,000 people by 2011, Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee said Tuesday.
‘I request banks to speed up the process and achieve the target by 2011, one year ahead of the originally planned,’ Mukherjee said at an event to mark 105th foundation day of Bank of India.
Only 37 percent of bank branches are in rural areas and less than 40 percent of the country’s population have bank accounts.
Urging banks to reach out to poor in villages, Mukherjee said just maintaining a high GDP growth was not enough.
‘The growth has to be equitable, sustainable, just and fair. Its fruit has to reach to the poor,’ he added.
Earlier this year, the finance minister had set a target to provide banking facilities to areas with population above 2,000 by March 2012, as part of his initiatives of financial inclusion.
