Naxal-hit Kondagaon district has achieved the target set for Pradhan Mantri Jan-Dhan Yojna by opening bank accounts of 100 per cent households within three months of its launch.
Chief Secretary Vivek Dhand has congratulated the district officers for the achievement. Officials said that district administration carried out the work of opening of bank accounts on war footing on instructions of the Chief Secretary. Apart from publicity of the scheme, Collector Dhananjay Devangan monitored the progress of the scheme regularly to achieve the target within the prescribed time period. The officials said that Kondagaon has 39 branches of different banks including 27 in rural and 12 in urban areas. On the basis of census 2001, survey of 1,27509 households of the district was conducted. Under the scheme, a target of opening bank accounts of 67108 households including 64377 households in rural and 2731 households in urban areas was set. The target was achieved by the district on December 20.
As many as 1,28339 people have been included in the scheme. Each account holding family will be issued RuPay debit card with help of which they can withdraw amount from any ATM. In addition to this, accidental insurance cover of Rs1 lakh will also be provided to the family along with a life insurance of Rs30,000 free of cost. If the transactions are maintained properly for six months in the account, over draft facility will also be offered under the scheme, the officials said.
In compliance of the directions of the State Government, special survey plans are being undertaken in the State and the SBI has been appointed as the nodal bank for the scheme. Collector Dhananjay Devangan has appealed people to open account under the scheme and they can approach the secretary of gram panchayat or the bank.