SBI, Nabard to establish 'farmers' club' in UP

In a significant move to help the farmers of Uttar Pradesh, the State Bank of India and Nabard have joined hands to establish a "Farmers' Club". The club aims at enhancing the bargaining power of the farmers and artisans besides reaching out to the rural masses.

SBI Managing Director Yogesh Agarwal said, "The bank proposes to use these farmers' clubs for extending banking facilities and for financial inclusion of entire population of the identified villages across the state." Agarwal was in Lucknow to inaugurate 501 such clubs on Saturday.

SBI and Nabard were in talks for the last three months before these clubs actually took shape. "There is lack of non-banking facilities, which hinder the credit lending capacity and its final utilisation by the farmers.

Through these Clubs we also offer training to progressive farmers for improving farm productivity," expressed Sukhbir Singh, chief general manager, Nabard.

Though there are over 2,300 such groups, already working in the state, it is for the first time that any bank has opened 501 clubs in a single day.

SBI further plans to open a farmers' club in every village of Uttar Pradesh in coming few months.

A "Customer Information Booklet", containing information for customers according to Reserve Bank of India's and SBI's parameters was also released on the occasion. This initiative has been taken by the Bank's Lucknow Circle to enhance awareness about the consumer rights.

For the records, SBI Lucknow Circle has many firsts to its name in the recent past. The bank has taken initiatives to establish "On Line Business Centre"; launch "Mission Samay" at its six centres namely Lucknow, Kanpur, Varanasi, Jhansi, Gorakhpur and Bareilly by opening counters five minutes before scheduled time and setting up Awadh Nawab Club of Lucknow for providing door step banking to selected clientele.