Shillong : The State Bank of India on Monday introduced “Bank on Wheels” in Meghalaya to provide banking facilities to its customers and especially to 4,500 unbanked villages in the State. The programme, as part of financial inclusion plans of the Central government and Reserve Bank of India, was launched by SBI managing director A Krishna Kumar at a function at SBI main branch premises here on Monday morning. Meghalaya Rural Development Society (MRDS) will operate the “Bank on Wheels” for SBI in implementing the project and motivate people in unbanked villages to open bank accounts. Established to oversee mobilization of Social capital, MRDS is implementing livelihoods programme in five districts of the state - Ri-Bhoi, East Khasi Hills, Jaiñtia Hills, East Garo Hills and South Garo Hills. “The bank on wheels will go to interiors with the help of MRDS to motivate people to open bank accounts. There’s no specific target, but will try to cover at least five villages in a week and try to contact as many people as possible,” SBI managing director A Krishna Kumar said. Kumar said a total number of 662 unbanked villages were allotted to SBI to be covered with March 31 next year and already 496 villages were covered. “Opening of bank accounts will be very simple for the customers (villagers) and they would only need to produce a certificate from the headman along with photographs,” he said MRDS Chief Executive Officer Robert Garnet Lyngdoh said the banks on wheels will initially cover villages under Saipung block in Jaiñtia Hills and later the services will be replicated in other districts. “We will motivate villagers to open bank accounts with SBI at zero balance or no frills account. Kisan Credit Card will be provided to farmers who opened their account in order to avail small loan from the bank,” Lyngdoh said. The ‘Bank on Wheels’ will tour villages in the area and the main target to motivate villagers to open ‘no frills accounts’ is on market day, he added.
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