This refers to your edit ‘India needs new banks’ (ET, Mar 4). Financial inclusion and financial literacy will be the paramount objective while implementing reforms along with UID project to protect the interests of poor. Modern banking system has lost apersonal touch. Even citizens from semi-urban areas are reluctant to use ATMs. NextGen banking may fail in rural areas. It’s true we need more banks and innovative way of thinking, competition will drive away inefficient players.
ET has also suggested the perfect solution to the problem in the same edition, ‘Before they compete, let banks consolidate’. Narasimhan panel too has suggested to have less number of banks with more branches at the national level. The author has pointed out that of 9,000 private bank branches, just 1,138 are located in rural areas. This means they are not keen to go rural.
Shishir Sindekar,
Nasik, March 4
