GOALPARA, Feb 28 - With the prime objective to provide banking and other financial services to all individuals and businesses, especially at the panchayat level and the inaccessible and remote areas of the district at an affordable cost, the district administration has taken a slew of initiatives for allowing its citizens to carry out basic financial transaction and also access the benefits of different government schemes such as Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY), Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana (PMMY), Pradhan Mantri Jeewan Jyoti Yojana (PMJJY), Pradhan Mantri Surakhsa Bima Yojana (PMSBY), Atal Pension Yojana (APY) and MGNREGA payments, etc.
Talking to this correspondent, Deputy Commissioner Varnali Deka said that being one of the aspirational districts which aims to expeditiously improve the socio-economic indicators, the district administration has to overcome many challenges for increasing the reach of financial network in the district.
She said residents of rural, remote and far-flung areas of the district face difficulties in accessing financial services and the problem becomes very acute when it comes to disbursal of government�s benefits such as MGNREGA wage payments, pension, etc., and so initiatives have been taken for improving the access and bringing banking facilities closer to these people at the village level.
Deka further added that most of the areas in the district have been covered by banking services, and mass awareness programmes have also been organised under the supervision of the district administration with the active involvement of the secretaries of gram panchayats.
Meanwhile, Hiranya Jyoti Bayan, LDM, UCO Bank, said people in remote areas are not financially literate and hesitate to go to banks for availing banking services. But at the behest of the district administration, the banks went to their places for offering their services with the cooperation and help of panchayat officials and the self-help groups.
