Reserve Bank of India today asked the banks in Rajasthan to open branches in villages with 5000 or more population, besides improving their credit-deposit ratio, which has registered a negative growth post demonetisation.
Briefing media persons here today after a meeting with officers of all major banks, RBI's Deputy Governor Subhash S Mundra said the credit-deposit ratio in the state has declined.
"The credit-deposit ratio in Rajasthan has generally been good but post demonetisation, the ratio has declined despite an increase in the deposits in the banks," said Mundra.
"It is a matter of concern and I have asked the banks to improve it.
The state government has launched several schemes for livestock improvement, agriculture value chains and I asked the bank officers to associate them with these schemes so that credit could be enhanced," he said.
He also asked the banks to open branches in villages where population is 5000 or above.
"There are 972 villages with population of 5000 and above in Rajasthan and 171 villages have no bank branch," he said.
After demonetisation, there is a need to push digital economy and the banks have also been asked to make people aware about the apps like BHIM launched recently.
On the issue of cash crunch following demonetisation last November, he said the situation has returned to normalcy and if there are complaints, they will be looked into and addressed.
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On the issue of pilot project to introduce plastic
currency notes worth Rs 10, the Deputy Governor said that the RBI has got clearance from various agencies on security and the pilot project would be launched soon.
He said that Jaipur is among other cities where the plastic currency notes will be made available through the RBI regional office.
The notes will be printed at one place and circulated in various parts of the country through the RBI offices, he said adding the tender process for securing printing material, ink etc would be initiated soon.
Mundra said there will no further extension of the date for exchanging demonetised currency notes of Rs 500 and Rs 1000 which in present is open for NRIs and PIOs in five cities including four metros.
