The ailing and near-defunct Baripada Urban Co-operative Bank is now making serious efforts to revive and survive once again.
The bank’s managing committee (MC) president and its directors are of the view that if the State Government extends its helping hand, the bank has a strong possibility of revival.
At a Press conference here on Sunday, bank president Giridhari Prusty emphatically stated that if Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik comes forward to offer assistance, as promised by him here in 2013, the bank, within no time, will be operational and can safeguard the interests of the depositors. The MC, after assuming office in 2015, has all along been trying sincerely to negate the bank’s licence cancellation and to restore its earlier situation, he said.
Despite the State Government’s ‘unfortunate’ liquidation order in October, 2015, the MC led by Prusty has been putting in its best efforts to enable the financial institution operate and serve the Mayurbhanj people once again, he asserted.
Even now, as the bank enjoys the necessary financial strength, if the State Government changes its step-motherly attitude towards Mayurbhanj, things can move in the positive direction, he added.
Besides Prusty, bank directors Umakanta Rout, Narayan Patnaik, Abhinna Patra, Devidutta Dash and Jagdish Mahakud and Chief Manager Amarendra Kumar Kar were present.
The bank, it may be noted, was established way back in 1958 and started functioning on April 24, 1960.
It has its branches at Baripada, Udala, Rairangpur and Karanjia.
The bank, having a total of 25,731 share-holders, 72,324 depositors and 2,953 loanees, has been in doldrums for the last few years. This is due to the lack of will-power of the present political leadership of the district, it is alleged.