Thousands open bank accounts - ’Jan-Dhan’ in DK, Udupi districts

Thousands open bank accounts - ’Jan-Dhan’ in DK, Udupi districts

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangalore, Aug 29, 2014: At the Town Hall in Mangalore, Union Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment Thawar Chand Gehlot inaugurated the ’Jan-Dhan’ scheme. He said the scheme will empower rural India becoming the main mechanism to overall development. The minister quoted successful examples of Japan and China, countries with new development policies and technological revolutions.

 

Dakshina Kannada district, the birth place of several banks, witnessed the opening of at least 60,000 new accounts as a part of Prime Ministers Jan-Dhan scheme targeting a bank account for every person in the country.  The target fixed for the district as part of the launch  programme was  40,000 new accounts, there was amazing response to the scheme it is clear.

Delivering his presidential address, District-in-Charge Minister Ramanath Rai recalled the Banking Nationalisation policy enacted by former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi which was a game changer in the banking sector of the country. It brought about significant changes in the lives of millions and banks became an integral part of common man’s life. He also lauded the much talked about ‘loan mela’ programme organised throughout India, when Janadhan Poojary was the Union Finance Minister.

Deputy Commissioner A B Ibrahim in his speech said that DK district would become a 100% banking district before 2014 ends, with each person holding a bank account.

M’lore Town Hall scnario:  At least thirty stalls of nationalised, private banks, insurance companies and IT enabled services were put up at Town Hall premises. Official estimates, state roughly, 10,000 new accounts were opened through the stalls on the spot.  Aadhaar card and two passport size photographs were the only requirements to open an account under Jan-Dhan scheme. Where Aadhaar card is not available, other recognized identity cards would serve the purpose. Any one can open an account in any of the branches of the nationalised or private banks from now on.

Benefits:  A personal death accident coverage of Rs 1 lakh, over-draft facility of Rs 5,000 after six months of opening the account, zero balance facility are the major features of the account coming under the scheme.

Though, it caters to the people in rural areas who do not have accounts, officials said that persons having bank accounts could also open accounts under Jan-Dhan scheme.  Minister Abhaychandra Jain, MP Nalin Kumar Kateel, MLAs J R Lobo, SAngara, MLCs Girish Karnik, Ivan DSouza, ZP President Asha Thimmappa Gowda, ZP CEO Tulasi Maddineni, Senior Managers of Various banks were present giving the whole occasion a high profile pogramme.

In Udupi:
MANIPAL: Speaking after inaugurating The Prime Minister’s Jan-Dhan scheme here at Syndicate Bank Golden Jubilee hall,  ZP President Savitha Shivananda Kotian said the Prime Minister’s Jan-Dhan yojana is a blessing in disguise for the poor people, which would give them access to banking facilities.she referred to the pro-poor measures announced by the Prime Minister in his address on Independence Day.

ZP Presidnet said that the people would be facilitated to open bank accounts. People in rural areas will be benefited and they can make use of the account for financial purposes. The scheme should reach the poorest of the poor in the country, for which all the stakeholders in the administrative and banking set up should come forward. The ignorant people in rural areas should be told about the benefits of a bank account, she urged.

In the district, there are as many as 352 banks and 170 banking service centers. There are 2,53,000 houses in the district and there is a target to open 70,000 new accounts under the scheme soon. The account holder will be given Rupay debit card, which is an Indian ATM card.