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Bank accounts of around 80 per cent households in the worst Naxal-infested Bastar division of Chhattisgarh have been opened under the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY).
Across the state, about 90 per cent families had been covered under the ambitious scheme introduced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to ensure bank account for each family. "By the month end, 100 per cent target would be met in the state, barring Bastar region," a senior official in finance department told Business Standard.
In Bastar region, that had been reeling under red terror inflicted by the Left wing extremists, taking banking to people has been a daunting task. With fear of cash-loot or bank robbery, most of the public and private sector banks have been avoiding operation in the Bastar region. The banks have been operating from the district headquarters that had resulted in small centres remaining untouched with banking activities. "Amidst challenges, the authorities have succeeded in covering about 80 per cent households under the scheme in seven districts of Bastar division," the official said.
In all, 682,000 households had been enrolled in Bastar division. Of it, bank accounts of 548,000 households had been opened. The official said the state government had set the target to cover about 90 per cent households under PMJDY in Naxal-infested Bastar region by the end of December 2014.
"Efforts would be made to cover 100 per cent households in the region at the earliest," he added.
