The first ever post independence Socio-Economic and Caste Census 2011 to identify people living Below Poverty Line (BPL) began on Wednesday from Sankhola village of Hazemara block in West Tripura District.
It is a door-to-door census in the entire country.aunching the Census, B.K.Sinha Secretary, Rural Development ,Government of India said this gigantic exercise will pave the way to identify the households living below the poverty line in rural and urban areas of the country.
“The entire process will be completed by end of 2011-12. The results relating to the identification of poor households would be utilized in the 12th Five Year Plan (2012-13 to 2016-17),” he added.
He said the BPL Census will be conducted by State Governments/Union Territory Administrations with the technical and financial support of the Ministry of Rural Development.
“The Census would be based on a self-declaration model of the respondents. The information would be verified and approved by the Gram Sabha. Procedure for filing claims and objections and its disposal will be prescribed separately by the Ministry. The Ministry will also provide detailed guidelines for conducting survey and finalization of BPL list,” he added.
Low cost handheld device will be used for collection of data in Socio Economic Census 2011. It would reduce the time required in processing the data after collection in the field.
Bharat Electronic Ltd. (BEL) is involved in the production of this device on large scale. It is proposed to use this device, produced by BEL, in Socio Economic Census 2011.
National Informatics Centre (NIC) will develop the Management of Information System (MIS) for the management of the database of Socio Economic Census 2011 and to facilitate its subsequent use by the MORD, other ministries and State Governments for their own requirements. (ANI)
Monday, 18 July 2011
Open 25% of new branches in unbanked areas: RBI to banks
In order to take banking to the remote and rural areas in the country, the RBI today asked all the lenders, including private ones, to open one in every four of their new branches in unbanked areas.
As an incentive, the banks will get authorisation to open an additional branch in Tier - I and II towns (population of 50,000 and above).
"...while preparing their Annual Branch Expansion Plan (ABEP), they (banks) should allocate at least 25% of the total number of branches proposed to be opened during a year in unbanked rural (Tier 5 and Tier 6) centres," the Reserve Bank said in a communication to all commercial banks.
With an aim to bringing banking services to identified 72,800 villages with population above 2,000 by March 2012, and thereafter to all the villages, the RBI said that there was a need for opening more number of brick and mortar branches in rural centres, besides the use of Business Correspondents.
The Monetary Policy Statement 2011-12 had focussed on the need to step up the opening of branches in rural areas to increase the banking access to the poor across the country under the government's financial inclusion programme.
In view of the requirement for opening at least 25% of the branches under ABEP, the RBI said it would now not be mandatory to open at least one third of the total number of branches proposed to be opened in Tier 3 to Tier 6 centres in underbanked districts of underbanked States.
"..for each branch proposed to be opened in Tier 3 to Tier 6 centres of underbanked districts of underbanked States...authorisation will be given for opening of a branch in a Tier 1 or Tier 2 centre," the RBI said.
This will be in addition to the authorisation given for branches in Tier 1 and Tier 2 centres.
Tier 5 and 6 centres mean unbanked rural areas.
As an incentive, the banks will get authorisation to open an additional branch in Tier - I and II towns (population of 50,000 and above).
"...while preparing their Annual Branch Expansion Plan (ABEP), they (banks) should allocate at least 25% of the total number of branches proposed to be opened during a year in unbanked rural (Tier 5 and Tier 6) centres," the Reserve Bank said in a communication to all commercial banks.
With an aim to bringing banking services to identified 72,800 villages with population above 2,000 by March 2012, and thereafter to all the villages, the RBI said that there was a need for opening more number of brick and mortar branches in rural centres, besides the use of Business Correspondents.
The Monetary Policy Statement 2011-12 had focussed on the need to step up the opening of branches in rural areas to increase the banking access to the poor across the country under the government's financial inclusion programme.
In view of the requirement for opening at least 25% of the branches under ABEP, the RBI said it would now not be mandatory to open at least one third of the total number of branches proposed to be opened in Tier 3 to Tier 6 centres in underbanked districts of underbanked States.
"..for each branch proposed to be opened in Tier 3 to Tier 6 centres of underbanked districts of underbanked States...authorisation will be given for opening of a branch in a Tier 1 or Tier 2 centre," the RBI said.
This will be in addition to the authorisation given for branches in Tier 1 and Tier 2 centres.
Tier 5 and 6 centres mean unbanked rural areas.
Banking for the poor more viable than for the rich: Chakrabarty
KC Chakrabarty, Deputy Governor, Reserve Bank of India believes that banking for the poor is always more viable than doing the same for the rich and said this is clear from the no-frills accounts that banks have opened under the financial inclusion programme. It is an irony that the poor always end up paying more for the same product and services than the rich. And this is true of banking too."
His belief is that commerce or banking for the poor is always more viable than commerce or banking for the rich. That's why corporates get money at 7-8% and the poor MFI borrowers get it at a 60% interest rate. It is viable provided you have the ability to do business with the poor," Chakrabarty who oversees banking supervision, rural credit, customer service and the financial inclusion programme, said.
"What we are saying is that don't subsidise the poor, but don't exploit them, because so long as the rich get a thing cheap, they will not allow that item to reach the poor. And this has to change, at least in banking," he said.
Entire cost of this banking programme to cover all the targeted villages will not be more than Rs 6,000 crore."
Stating that the real issue is not about viability, but the ability of banks to do it properly, he said, "banks are not able to do this because they don't have the capacity to do so. That is why we are asking them to build their capacities through technology and new delivery model
His belief is that commerce or banking for the poor is always more viable than commerce or banking for the rich. That's why corporates get money at 7-8% and the poor MFI borrowers get it at a 60% interest rate. It is viable provided you have the ability to do business with the poor," Chakrabarty who oversees banking supervision, rural credit, customer service and the financial inclusion programme, said.
"What we are saying is that don't subsidise the poor, but don't exploit them, because so long as the rich get a thing cheap, they will not allow that item to reach the poor. And this has to change, at least in banking," he said.
Entire cost of this banking programme to cover all the targeted villages will not be more than Rs 6,000 crore."
Stating that the real issue is not about viability, but the ability of banks to do it properly, he said, "banks are not able to do this because they don't have the capacity to do so. That is why we are asking them to build their capacities through technology and new delivery model
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