BoB plans 15 rural youth training centre

Will open gramin bank in Kheda and Anand.

The public sector bank major, Bank of Baroda (BOB), with a strong presence in rural banking segment, is planning to set up 15 Baroda Swarojgar Vikas Sansthan (BSVS) in Gujarat in the present fiscal year.

The BSVS centre which encourages entrepreneural spirit among rural youth will train them in the traditional crafts and vocations to encourage grassroots entrepreneurs.

Talking to Business Standard, Vipin Parikh, Additional General Manager, Priority and Government Issues, said, "The centre's services can be availed of by rural or urban poor for training in self-employment."

The facilities include lodging, boarding and employment services. The training varies from handicraft to masonry to furniture-making. The training period is one to three weeks.

"The bank will assists trainees after completion of the training in getting loans and starting an independent venture if needed," he said. At present, there are 50 trainees in the Gujarat centres.

BOB's Ajmer branch focusses on women entrepreneurs and is staffed by women employees. The rural youths will undergo training in traditional crafts and vocations to prepare grassroots entrepreneurs through its BSVS in all three states where it has its presence.

BSVS are present in 11 centres in Gujarat, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh. Gujarat has three such centres at Gandhinagar, Godhra and Surat.

The bank is also taking initiative in providing information to farmers in rural areas about crop and commodities prices, weather conditions and new business avenues.

A K Khandelwal, Chairman and Managing Director of BOB, said, "The bank is eager to reach the grassroots. we plan to come up with 51 BPSK across the country by the end of the year."

In Gujarat the bank will set up 15 BPSK in the present fiscal year, informs Khandelwal. About the state, he informed that three such centres are coming up on July 20 to celebrate the centenary year of the bank's institution.

"On the occasion of the centenary celebrations, three initial centres will start functioning on 20 th July at Patan, Petlad and Rajpipla (Narmada) branches. Here, the farmers and villagers can get the information on agriculture and business-related issues," Vipin Parikh said.

The bank is set to launch 15 BPSK in the state in the current fiscal year.

About the rural plans in the coming year, Parikh informed that the bank has implemented financial inclusion plan for four districts of Gujarat - Panchmahal, Dangs, Dahod and Bharuch where 100 per cent banking facilities will be provided to the villagers. No family will be excluded and the bank will provide door-to-door service in the area.

The bank has 1,700 branches in rural and semi-urban areas. Baroda Gujarat Gramin Bank is a Bank of Baroda-sponsored bank based at Bharuch. It will open the new branches in Kheda and Anand in 2007.