Banks, Orissa
Sir: The state government boasts of its achievements in the last one year, forming the start of the fourth term of the BJD government, but this is not the whole story. Several areas require serious attention, and one of these is the banking sector, essentially in the field of extending the facilities of the banks to the rural pockets.
As per recent data, about 4,500 Gram Panchayats (GPs) are deprived of banking facilities. There are about 4,672 bank branches all over the state and the pace of opening of new branches is very slow. Only about 372 new branches have been opened in the last fiscal. Since a majority of the population in Orissa lives in rural areas, the rural Credit Deposit (CD) ratio that was growing at 7-8 per cent is, in recent times, decreasing day by day. This is not a good trend.
As per recent data, it is only 3.5 per cent in rural Orissa, which is
far below that of neighbouring Andhra Pradesh, where it is 15.5 per cent. On an average, the Credit Deposit ratio in the state is 38 per cent. This is an alarming trend.
Bank deposits in the state stands at Rs.19,62,232crore in the 2014-15 fiscal. Since the NDA government is harping on various new schemes meant for rural people, like the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana, Bima Yojana etc, the benefits of banks need to be reached to each of the rural households. This is imperative for their success. With this end in view, bank branches should be opened in all the left-out 4,500 GPs. Otherwise, the policies and benefits of the schemes will be limited to pen and paper.
Ratikanta Mahapatra, OFS, Courtpeta Square, BERHAMPUR.
Dalits, farmers
Sir: A Dalit youth was brutally assaulted and killed in the temple
town of Shirdi in Maharashtra allegedly over his mobile ringtone
representing a song on Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar. This is widely reported in the media. This shows that the progressive attitude of our society is more in words and less in deeds. We need to introspect over the level of intolerance we are as a society. On the other hand, we are faced with the spectre of farmer suicides, as there is no mechanism yet to help farmers suffering from crop failure. We boast of an incredible India, but that is also an India that is not willing to provide security to the needy millions in terms of social support. The ‘Achche Din’ (good days) promised by Prime Minister Narendra Modi is a far cry, even as he completes one year in governance.
Biswajit Bhoi, Department of Economics, CUO, KORAPUT.