Taking cognisance of a long pending demand of the residents of Baluwakot in Pithoragarh district for a State Bank of India branch in their area, Almora MP Ajay Tamta has directed the bank official concerned to undertake a survey for establishing a branch in the area.
He has also directed the official to complete the survey and begin the procedure for setting up a branch of the bank in the area. The BJP district spokesman Jagat Martoliya said that the people of Baluwakot had been demanding an SBI branch in the area for the past 40 years.
“The demand of the people was not met for decades until recently, the Almora MP Ajay Tamta wrote to the SBI assistant general manager, Almora, to initiate concrete action without delay for opening a branch in the area”, he added.
He futher informed that, in the first stage, a survey of the area should be conducted. On the basis of population, Baluwakot Gram Panchayat is the biggest Gram Panchayat of Dharchula development block. After opening of the SBI branch in this area more than 15,000 people not only from Baluwakot but also from nearby Payyapaudi, Dhungatoli, Talla Charchum, Malla Charchum, Talla Naya Basti, Malla Naya Basti and Goghati Bagad will get benefitted.
The spokesman further informed that establishment of a branch in the area will especially benefit thousands of pensioners, Government employees, traders and general public who are forced at present to travel to either Dharchula or Jauljivi for their banking tasks. Baluwakot Gram Panchayat alone has a population of 5,455 and meets all the conditions for setting up of a branch of the SBI, he added.
People welcomed the Tamta’s order to the bank official for conducting a survey of the area. Expressing their gratitude for the development, residents of Baluwakot have decided to organise a programme to felicitate the MP, said Martoliya.