Lok Sabha Question No. 1295 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-07-28
Subject: New Bank Branches and ATMs in Mavelikkara, Kerala
Ministry: FINANCE
Asked by: Shri Kodikunnil Suresh

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF FINANCE DEPARTMENT OF FINANCIAL SERVICES

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1295

ANSWERED ON MONDAY, JULY 28, 2025/SRAVANA 6, 1947 (SAKA)

## New Bank Branches and ATMs in Mavelikkara, Kerala

## 1295.   Shri Kodikunnil Suresh:

Will the Minister of FINANCE be pleased to state:

- ( a) the number of proposals received from nationalized and private banks for opening new branches and ATMs in Mavelikkara Lok Sabha Constituency of Kerala between 01 June 2024 and 30 June 2025;
- (b) the status of these proposals including approvals, rejections and pending cases, bankwise and location-wise;
- (c) the  number of branches and ATMs actually opened in the Constituency during the above period with dates;
- (d) the  branch-wise  data  of  education  loan  applications  received  in  the  Constituency during FY 2024-25, including applicant social category (SC/ST/OBC/General), CIBIL score brackets and the number of applications sanctioned and rejected alongwith the reasons for rejection; and
- (e) whether the Government proposes to issue any revised guidelines to ensure fair access to education loans for students from socially and economically weaker sections and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## The Minister of State in the Ministry of Finance (SHRI PANKAJ CHAUDHARY)

(a to c) As per the extant Reserve Bank of India (RBI) guidelines, rolling out of banking outlets in uncovered areas is a continuous process looked after by the State Level Bankers' Committee (SLBC)/  Union  Territory  Level  Bankers  Committee  (UTLBC),  in  consultation  with  the concerned State Government, member banks and other stakeholders. Banks, inter-alia, consider proposals for opening banking outlets in the light of RBI's instructions, their business plans and their commercial viability. To further assess the viability for opening a banking outlet, banks carry out survey as required. The data for such proposals received by the Banks is not maintained centrally.

All  the  locations  of  three  Districts  i.e.  Kottayam,  Alappuzha  and  Kollam  falling  under Mavelikkara Parliamentary Constituency, have either a brick and mortar branch or India Post Payment Bank (IPPB) centre within a radius of 5 Km.

As  apprised  by  SLBC  Kerala,  6  Bank  branches  have  been  opened  in  the  Mavelikkara constituency during the period from 01.06.2024 to 30.06.2025 as per details below:

|   S.No | Bank           | Area         | Date of Opening   |
|--------|----------------|--------------|-------------------|
|      1 | HDFC Bank      | Kottarakkara | 18-09-2024        |
|      2 | HDFC Bank      | Mavelikkara  | 23-09-2024        |
|      3 | Bank of Baroda | Pathanapuram | 15-07-2024        |
|      4 | Bank of Baroda | MANNAR       | 19-03-2025        |
|      5 | Bank of Baroda | Charummoodu  | 19-03-2025        |
|      6 | IDBI Bank      | Kottarakkara | 15-03-2025        |

As informed by banks, all newly opened branches are equipped with ATMs, except for two Bank of Baroda branches in Mannar and Charumoodu. In addition to these, 2 more ATMs have been opened in the Constituency during the period, as per the details given below:

| No. of ATMs opened additional to the branches   | No. of ATMs opened additional to the branches   | No. of ATMs opened additional to the branches   | No. of ATMs opened additional to the branches   |
|-------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------|
| S.No                                            | Name of the Bank                                | Area                                            | Date of Opening                                 |
| 1                                               | South Indian Bank                               | St GITS College, Pathamuttom                    | 21.11.2024                                      |
| 2                                               | South Indian Bank                               | Placid Vidya vihar                              | 24.01.2025                                      |

(d & e) Branch wise data of education loan applications are not maintained centrally.

However, RBI has advised all Scheduled Commercial Banks (SCBs) to adopt Model Education Loan Scheme, formulated by Indian Banks' Association (IBA). The scheme is applicable to all sections of the society including socially and economically weaker sections.

The  PM  Vidyalaxmi  Scheme  launched  on  06.11.2024,  enables  loans  through  banks  to meritorious students so that financial constraints do not prevent any youth from pursuing quality higher education. The Scheme facilitates and enables education loans to meritorious students who  get  admission  in  the  top  860  Quality  Higher  Educational  Institutions  (QHEIs)  in  the country and enables meritorious students of these QHEIs to take collateral free, guarantor free education loans through a simple, transparent, student-friendly application process.

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