Chhattisgarh: 1st Bank Branch in Jagargunda, a Naxal Core Area, in Sukma
IOB branch inauguration marks a milestone for financial inclusion in South Bastar’s tribal areas
Raipur: A bank branch was opened on Sunday in Jagargunda, once a Maoist stronghold, in Sukma district under south Bastar in Chhattisgarh.
This is the first bank branch in the border villages of the districts of Sukma and Bijapur in south Bastar.
Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai inaugurated the branch of Indian Overseas Bank (IOB) in Jagargunda, marking a major step forward in the financial inclusion of the state’s most sensitive region.
Incidentally, the bank branch was opened in the very building where a branch of the rural bank was functioning a decade and half ago. The rural bank branch was looted by Maoists then.
The bank will benefit nearly 14,000 tribal residents in 12 surrounding villages, who are mostly dependent on the forest produce, particularly the tendu leaf collections for their livelihood.
“The opening of the bank branch in Jagargunda is a victory of democracy and development over extremism. Ther double-engine government is committed to revitalizing Bastar and is ensuring that the wave of change reaches every village”, Mr. Sai said while inaugurating the branch virtually from his official residence here.
Mr. Sai said in line with the guarantees made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the state is rapidly working to ensure banking facilities in all gram panchayats.
Highlighting the combined impact of security, development, and public trust, the chief minister emphasized that continuous operations by security forces and the firm resolve of both Central and state governments are helping Bastar’s villages emerge from the grip of Naxalism and join the mainstream of development.
Speaking on the occasion, state finance minister O P Choudhury said the bank branch will now help the local villagers to have access to banking facilities and receive funds from various government schemes such as tendu leaf bonus and the PM-Kisan Samman Nidhi through direct benefit transfer (DBT).
The rehabilitation camp opened in Jagargunda for the tribals displaced during the Salwa Judum movement was attacked by the Maoists in 2007, killing 12 people and a policeman.
It used to take a week for the district administration to reach the public distribution system (PDS) materials to the camp by trucks escorted by the security forces earlier.
In April 2021, 22 security personnel were killed in a Maoist ambush at Jonaguda under Jagargunda police station.