BHUBANESWAR: The Mission Shakti department has signed MoU with five more scheduled commercial banks for engaging around 500 members of women self help groups as banking correspondents in gram panchayats are not having bank branches.
Currently, 2,318 SHG members are working as business correspondent agents (BCAs) for State Bank of India, Utkal Grameen Bank, Odisha Gramya Bank, UCO Bank, Yes Bank and ICICI Bank in unbanked GPs across the state.
These women BCAs have undertaken transactions amounting to Rs 842.13 crore during the current financial year and have earned a commission of Rs 275.72 lakh. Recently, Mission Shakti department has signed MoU with Punjab National Bank, Canara Bank, Bank of India, Indian Bank and Axis Bank for engagement of around 500 BCAs.
Yes Bank has engaged the highest number of 871 women BCAs followed by 662 by ICICI banks. Maximum number of 198 BCAs are providing banking services in Mayurbhanj district followed by Balasore with 161 BCAs.
The department has shared draft MoU with HDFC Bank and Central Bank of India and awaiting for their response and requirement of women BCs, department sources said.Of the 6,798 GPs of the state, 4,164 GPs do not have bank branches.