The target of providing banking facilities to all 73,000 habitations having a population of over 2,000 will be completed during the ensuing financial year i.e. 2011-12 using appropriate technologies.

Announcing this in his Budget Speech in the Lok Sabha today, the Finance Minister Shri Pranab Mukherjee said that 20,000 villages will be covered by the banks during this year i.e. 2010-11 and the remaining will be covered during 2011-12. He said that a multi-media campaign, “Swabhimaan”, has been launched to inform, educate and motivate people to open bank accounts.

Banking inclusion: phased extension of banking facilities to rural habitations using technology and a public awareness campaign. Expansion of rural banking access to habitations with populations exceeding two thousand will be completed in 2011-12 after initial coverage in 2010-11; implementation will rely on appropriate technologies and the 'Swabhimaan' multimedia campaign to inform, educate and motivate residents to open bank accounts.