Ibobi inaugurates RBI Imphal office ; No banking facilities exist in 27 CD Blocks: Ibobi
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, October 17 2015 : Chief Minister Okram Ibobi today inaugurated an office of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) here at Thangmeiband Lilasing-khongnangkhong, opposite to the Manipur Legislative Assembly complex.

Speaking at the inaugural function, Ibobi noted that there are still no banking facilities in 27 CD blocks loca- ted in interior areas of the hill districts of Manipur.

Taking due note of the difficulties faced by people of these interior areas due to absence of banking facilities, Ibobi exuded that RBI would take up necessary measures to address these problems.

Construction of necessary infrastructure for all SDO/BDO offices would be completed within the current financial year.

Among others, SDO/BDO offices would have bank branches, staff quarters as well as security barracks which can accommodate at least 30 security personnel.

Chief Minister O Ibobi inaugurating the RBI office on Saturday :: Pix - DIPR

Since five/six years back, the State Government adopted e-transaction mode for all kinds of money transfer (receipts and payments).

How- ever, the State Government has been experiencing certain difficulties due to inadequate banking facilities in such matters like disbursing old age pension.

Ibobi then appealed to the RBI to provide assistance in opening bank branches in all the 27 CD blocks where any kind of banking facility is still non-existent.

He also assured that the State Government would take the responsibility of infrastructure development as well as security requirements.

The State Government was asking RBI to open an office at Imphal since the past four years.

In response, RBI demanded a plot required for opening the office.

Subsequently, a plot was set aside for RBI office at Mantripukhri.

Nonetheless, the RBI office has been inaugurated today at the bungalow built for the Hill Areas Committee Chairman with due permission of the Manipur Legisla- tive Assembly Speaker for the time being, Ibobi stated.

He also launched a webpage of RBI Imphal.

The new office inaugurated today would function as a subsidiary office of RBI, Guwahati regional office.

RBI Deputy Governor Harun R Khan, Chief Secretary O Nabakishore, RBI Executive Director Dr Deepali Pant Joshi, Regional Director SS Barik and RBI Imphal General Manager Thangza-muan Hauzel were also present at the inaugural function.

Harun R Khan claimed that RBI is one of the best among all Central Banks of the world in terms of services it provides.

RBI has been working as banker of both the Central and State Governments as well as other banks.

RBI has been taking commendable roles in the country's economic development.

In view of the hilly terrain and the associated transport bottlenecks, RBI has started taking up special measures for the North East region particularly in the fields of financial inclusion, financial literacy and credit delivery, informed the RBI Deputy Governor.

Noting that the rate of credit deposit ration and credit to GDP or GSDP ration is low in the Northeastern States, he, nonetheless, assured that mobile banking, kiosk banking, business correspondence and other forms of banking facilities would be introduced and enhanced in the North East region.

For introducing all these banking facilities, digital connectivity is crucial.

That is why, RBI has been working to install V-Sat systems in the region, Harun R Khan said.

Referring to the Chief Minister's statement that there are no banking facilities in 27 CD blocks of the State, he informed that bank branches have been opened in five blocks.

Further efforts are on to open bank branches in all the remaining CD blocks, he continued.

Manipur occupies a prominent position in the India's Act East Policy and RBI Imphal office would take a big role in implementing the policy effectively, he added.

RBI Guwahati regional office Director SS Barik there was only the Guwahati office till 2010.Then one office was opened at Agartala in 2011 followed by another office at Shillong in 2012.Now RBI has been working to open two more offices at Dimapur and Itanagar.