Jalandhar, January 31-
Punjab Local Bodies Minister Balkar Singh has called upon the banks and financial institutions to play a proactive role in opening new vistas of self-employment for the skilled youth by extending soft loans to them besides ensuring the welfare of weaker and underprivileged sections of society through financial inclusion.
Addressing the gathering after inaugurating a branch of the Central Bank of India in Pholriwal, the cabinet minister said that the banks must make concerted efforts to extend easy loans to skilled persons so that they could live life with dignity by setting up their self-employment units.
This was the 50th branch of the bank in this region and this new branch would cater to the needs of people residing in this area.
He also said that such efforts would help open new avenues for self-employment for the skilled youth besides boosting the economic growth of the country.
The minister also said that the banks must come forward to help the students who have passed skill development courses from DBEE and other technical institutions of the Punjab Government to set up their ventures especially to provide a helping hand to the girls in rural areas.
He said that banking and other financial institutions hold the potential to bring prosperity to the lives of weaker sections by extending the benefit of financial schemes to beneficiaries.
The Minister said that the very intent and purpose behind the concept of nationalization of the banking sector could only be served meaningfully provided that the majority of economically deprived sections of society were propelled towards financial inclusion.
Prominent amongst others present on the occasion included Lead Bank Manager MS Moti, Zonal Head Shish Ram Tundwal, Regional Head Rahul Saxena, and Branch Head Himanshu Gupta.