Bhubaneswar, Sept 22: In a major push for financial inclusion, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi announced that 3,621 CSP Plus banking outlets have been established across Odisha’s gram panchayats where traditional bank branches are absent.
The announcement was made during a session in the Legislative Assembly, responding to a query by MLA Ramesh Chandra Behera regarding banking service gaps in rural blocks.
The initiative is part of the state government’s strategy to ensure last-mile delivery of banking services through a combination of bank branches, Business Correspondents (BCs), Customer Service Points (CSPs), and India Post Payments Bank (IPPB) access points.
To implement this, Odisha has partnered with six nationalised banks—State Bank of India, Punjab National Bank, Union Bank of India, UCO Bank, Bank of India, and Bank of Baroda.
These banks are helping set up CSP Plus outlets in branchless panchayats, enabling residents to access essential financial services without travelling long distances.
The government has also allocated funds to expand this network further, aiming to cover all remaining unbanked panchayats. Through platforms like the State Level Bankers Committee (SLBC), District Consultative Committees (DCC), and Block Level Bankers Committees (BLBC), banks are being actively encouraged to establish permanent branches and enhance service delivery.
This move is expected to significantly improve financial accessibility, empower rural communities, and support inclusive growth across Odisha.
