Imphal, May 16, 2025: In a major push towards improving financial inclusion in Manipur, the 82nd State Level Bankers’ Committee (SLBC) meeting was held today under the chairmanship of the Chief Secretary, Government of Manipur, with a strong emphasis on opening bank branches in all unbanked blocks of the State.
As per the press release issued by N Ashok Kumar, Commissioner (Finance), Government of Manipur, the meeting was attended virtually for the first time by Nagaraju Maddirala, Secretary, Department of Financial Services (DFS), Government of India. Also present virtually were Vinay M Tonse, Managing Director of State Bank of India, and Ashok Chandra, Managing Director of Punjab National Bank, along with other senior banking officials and regional bank heads.
During the meeting, the Chief Secretary highlighted several critical banking issues in the state and stressed the urgency of expanding banking access, especially to support the implementation of Central and State government schemes. He also called for more robust support through insurance for key sectors like transportation and infrastructure, increased lending to Self Help Groups and Startups, and better hand-holding of new loanees.
On the crucial role of Rural Self Employment Training Institutes (RSETIs) in driving self-employment, the Chief Secretary assured SBI and PNB that land allotments for setting up RSETIs in the remaining approved districts would be expedited. In response, the MDs of both banks committed to making all such institutes operational within the next three months.
DFS Secretary Nagaraju Maddirala issued strict instructions to bank heads to step up efforts in expanding banking services across unbanked regions and to effectively implement flagship government schemes such as PM Vishwakarma, PMEGP, PMFME, PM Suryaghar, PM Mudra Yojana, NULM, and NRLM.
The meeting marks a significant moment in aligning the banking sector’s role with Manipur’s broader economic recovery and growth vision.
