New Delhi: As many as four women banks out of total 25 will be set up in four states of Northeast including one in Shillong.
Known as Bharatiya Mahila Bank (BMB) will open four more branches in four capital cities of the region- Shillong, Gangtok, Itanagar and Agartala within the current financial year, official sources said here on Tuesday.
The announcement to set up such all Women bank was made by Finance Minister P Chidambaram in the Budget speech this year.
“It is proposed to solicit the approval of the Cabinet to include the allocation of Rs 1,000 crore to the Women’s Bank in the first Supplementary to be approved in the current Monsoon Session of Parliament,” Minister of State for Finance Namo Narain Meena said in Rajya Sabha while replying to a question tabled by Meghalaya’s lone representative in Upper House Wansuk Syiem.
The move to set-up Bhartiya Mahila Bank is aimed at encouraging women in general and women Self-Help Groups (SHGs) in particular. Women’s Bank is also likely to facilitate access to financial services, promote asset ownership, women entrepreneurship and participation of women in the economic activities to provide impetus to the process of inclusive growth and also their empowerment.
MNREGA wage: Meanwhile, Ministry of Labour and Employment has clarified that minimum wages fixed by the respective state governments will be the rate for payment of wages under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MNREGA).
This will remain valid till Centre fixes separate rate for MNREGA workers, the Minister of state for Labour and Employment Kodikunnil Suresh said while replying to a communication put forward by Syiem.
MGNREGA promises 100 days of work a year to each rural household at a pre-determined minimum wage rate.
Meanwhile, Government has said it is taking steps to deposit wages under the Mahathma Gandhi Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme in banks closer to the beneficiaries instead of designated banks in each district. Union Minister of State for Commerce and Industries E M Sudarsana Natchiappan said.
Under the new scheme, the workers could collect the money from the nearest bank.” Presently, in each district one bank had been chosen for depositing the wages under the scheme, but people found it difficult to withdraw the money as the bank was situated far away.
