Amit Shah inaugurates GSC’s new services in Ahmedabad

Ahmedabad, 14 October 2014

Gujarat State Cooperative Bank Limited(GSC) has launched its Ru-Pay ATM cum debit card services today.

National President of BJP and MLA of Naranpura Shri Amit Shah launched the new services in Ahmedabad.

The GSC Bank is the apex bank of 18 co-operative banks in Gujarat having more than 1,200 branches across the state.

While launching the first ‘RuPay’ ATM and debit card for the bank, Shah said one should not underestimate the capabilities of such banks.

Speaking on the occasion state minister Babubhai Bokhiria said that ATM cards will be convenient for farmers to use when they go out fo purchase fertilizer, seeds, pesticides. He said farmers are in the foundation of cooperative bank, and therefore ATM cards issued by cooperative bank will cover the end people at rural level. This could be a small initiative today, but will be big in future.

He said the state is witnessing agricultural growth rate of 11% which has to be further uplifted to 15%. He said agriculture has capacity to generate more employment than industries.

He said even after 67 years, 50% people were without bank account and at such time, Prime Minister’s Jan Dhan Yojana has added five crore people to banking facility.

Speaking on this occasion, Minister Shankar Chaudhary said that Gujarat’s cooperative sector will also become torchbearer like other sectors for the country with adoption of latest technology.

Gujarat State Cooperative Bank Limited Chairman Ajaybhai Patel welcomed the guests and said Gujarat’s cooperative bank sector is adopting technology and corporate culture.He said cooperative banks will sustain in the era of global banking by extending the best available services to even small farmers.

MLA Rakesh Shah, Cooperative Commissioner MA Narmawala, Narhari Amin, Ghanshyam Amin, Dilip Sanghani were among others present on the occasion.

Amit Shah: Co-operative banks should join Jan Dhan Yojana

BJP president Amit Shah asked the co-operative sector banks of Gujarat to join the ‘Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana’ and take up a movement to ensure that everyone in the state has a bank account.

“When the idea of Jan Dhan Yojana was floated by PM, I learnt from our Finance Minister that 50 per cent families in India never had any bank account. I congratulate our PM for introducing such scheme for the benefit of poorest of poor. Within last 3 months, more than 5 crore bank accounts have been opened under this scheme,” he said.

“The motto of co-operative movement is to make people self-reliant. I would like to urge GSC and other co-operative banks to join this movement and ensure that every poor, dalit and tribal in the state has his bank account,” Shah said.

Apart from Gujarat, Shah claimed that co-operative movement is still active in many other states, such as Maharashtra, Karnataka and Rajasthan.

“I know the strength of co-operative movement. This newly launched RuPay card and ATM is just a beginning. Looking at the sheer size and reach of this sector, I am sure that within next 5 years, debit cards issued by co-operative banks will be highest in India,” he said.

According to Shah, Modi brought the national banking sector back on its original track of providing service, not just earning profit. He also took a dig at the ‘minimum balance’ criteria of banks.

“In the past, bank authorities shifted their efforts on how to get ‘big ticket’ accounts, which gave them more profit in minimum paper work. Then came the concept of minimum balance attached to opening of account,” he said.

“Banks have forgotten that one of their key functions is to provide service. Instead, they shifted their focus on how to become a profit making organisation. I congratulate our PM for introducing ‘zero balance’ bank account concept under the Jan Dhan Yojana,” Shah said.