BANK ASSESSIBILITY AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT: A CASE STUDY OF RRBS IN BALASORE DISTRICT OF ODISHA

Abstract

The establishment of Regional Rural Banks (RRBs) was intended to address the heightened demand for institutional credit in rural regions, especially for economically and socially disadvantaged groups. The Narasimham Working Group (1975) recommended the creation of RRB to offer affordable banking services to the disadvantaged, merging the local knowledge and understanding of rural issues found in cooperatives with the operational efficiency, deposit mobilization capabilities, access to central money markets, and modern perspective of commercial banks. Furthermore, the need and potential for diversifying economic activities in rural regions are widely acknowledged, suggesting a domain where the RRBs might assume a pivotal role. This article examines the accessibility of RRB in rural development.