Cooperatives Minister Gopal Bhargava has said that financial inclusion is the need of the hour and cooperative sector can play animportant role in it. He said that for this, cooperative banks should adopt modern system of functioning instead of traditional one. It is also necessary that adequate number of employees in these banks is imparted training and their trustworthiness and authenticity is increased.
Bhargava was addressing concluding function of All-India Cooperatives Week on Friday. Principal Secretary Cooperatives Ajit Kesari and subject-experts of cooperative sector also spoke on challenges of financial inclusion. Special issue of ‘Sahkarita Main Navachar’ was also released on the occasion.
Bhargava said that cooperatives banks have given contribution to fulfillment of financial needs of weaker sections of society.
More accounts than commercial banks have been opened in cooperative banks under Jan-Dhan Yojana. Cooperative banks’ functioning should be streamlined further in public interest.
Ajit Kesari said that people’s expectations with banks have increased in changing scenario. Cooperative banks are also significantly cooperating in implementation of government schemes. Cooperative societies should play significant role in financial inclusion, he added. Chairman of Senior Citizens Welfare Commission VG Dharmadhikari said that a large number of common people have been connected with banks through Jan-Dhan Yojana. It is necessary to organize fiscal literacy programmes to motivate them to increase fiscal transactions.
Commissioner and Registrar Cooperatives Manish Shrivastava said that the seminar will give a new direction to meet various challenges of financial inclusion successfully. He informed that all banks in the state have issued 78.84 lakh Kisan Credit Cards. Of these, 51.52 lakh credit cards have been issued by primary service cooperative societies, which show contribution of cooperative banks in financial inclusion.
Chief General Manager of Reserve Bank of India HK Soni, Deputy Chief General Manager of NABARD Hembaran, cooperative expert lD Pandit and former Additional Commissioner Cooperatives PD Mishra also spoke on the occasion.
MD of Apex Bank Pradeep Neekhra proposed a vote of thanks. Office-bearers of various cooperative institutions and senior officers were present on the occasion.