Ambala bankers achieve 100% inclusion

Chandigarh, Apr 10 (UNI) The bankers of Ambala district in Haryana have achieved 100 per cent financial inclusion.

Stating this here today, an official spokesman said all the 497 villages and 1,18,474 households of the district had been covered by opening 10,662 No Frill Accounts, issuance of 4140 General Credit Cards and other loan products.

The bankers in the district had achieved 100 per cent financial inclusion within the stipulated period that was up to March 31, 2008, he added.

''However, if any family remains unlinked with the bank, they are advised to immediately contact the nearest bank branch and open their No Frill Account and/or avail credit facility,'' he said.

As per the guidelines of the Reserve Bank of India, he said banks were opening basic banking account with minimum or nil balance which was called No Frill Account.

He said the procedure of opening of these accounts had been simplified to enable the under privileged sections of the society to access the basic banking services.

Instead of introduction, banks had been allowed by the Reserve Bank of India to rely on the certificate of identification issued by Block Development and Panchayat Officer, Sarpanch, Postmaster or any other public functionary known to him, the spokesmans said.

UNI MA SBA AS1818