Lok Sabha Question No. 1250 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-12-08
Subject: Opening of New Bank Branches in Bargarh and Jharsuguda Districts of Odisha
Ministry: FINANCE
Asked by: Shri Pradeep Purohit

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF FINANCE

## DEPARTMENT OF FINANCIAL SERVICES

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1250

ANSWERED ON MONDAY, DECEMBER 8, 2025/AGRAHAYANA 17, 1947 (SAKA)

## Opening of New Bank Branches in Bargarh and Jharsuguda Districts of Odisha

## 1250   SHRI PRADEEP PUROHIT:

Will the Minister of FINANCE be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  the  Government  is  aware  of  the  need  for  opening  new  branches  of  public  sector banks in various underserved areas of Bargarh and Jharsuguda districts in Odisha, if so, the details thereof;
- (b)   whether any proposal has been received from the concerned authorities for opening new bank branches in these two districts and, if so, the details thereof, district-wise and bank-wise;
- (c)   if not, whether the Government proposes to consider opening new bank branches in Bargarh and Jharsuguda districts in the near future to improve financial inclusion and access to banking facilities, if so, the details thereof; and
- (d)   the steps being taken by the Government to ensure adequate banking infrastructure in rural and semi-urban areas of Odisha?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF FINANCE (SHRI PANKAJ CHAUDHARY)

(a to d) Endeavour of the Government is to ensure availability of banking outlet (Bank branch / BC / India Post Payments Bank) within 5 kilometres of all inhabited villages in the country. Availability of banking outlets is monitored by a Geographic Information System (GIS) based App., namely, Jan  Dhan  Darshak  (JDD)  App.  Based  on  the  data  uploaded  by  Banks  on  the  JDD  App,  as  on 31.10.2025, 99.91% villages in the country are covered with banking outlets (Bank Branch / BC / IPPB) within a radius of 5 Km. As per JDD app, as on 31.10.2025, all the inhabited villages of Bargarh and Jharsuguda Districts of Odisha are covered by a Banking Outlet within 5 Km radius.

Moreover, as per the extant 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 is not maintained centrally.

Further, based on the data uploaded by Banks on Jan Dhan Darshak (JDD) App, the progress of  banking  infrastructure  in  Bargarh  and  Jharsuguda  Districts  of  Odisha,  including  the  state  of Odisha state is as under:

## Bargarh District:

| As on Date   |   Branch | BCs   |   ATM |   IPPB |
|--------------|----------|-------|-------|--------|
| Mar-2023     |      189 | 841   |   181 |    224 |
| Mar-2024     |      203 | 1,183 |   184 |    283 |
| Mar-2025     |      206 | 1,357 |   180 |    280 |
| Oct-2025     |      212 | 1,393 |   186 |    281 |

## Jharsuguda District:

| As on Date   |   Branch |   BCs |   ATM |   IPPB |
|--------------|----------|-------|-------|--------|
| Mar-2023     |      109 |   188 |   142 |     87 |
| Mar-2024     |      112 |   274 |   144 |     92 |
| Mar-2025     |      112 |   319 |   140 |     92 |
| Oct-2025     |      113 |   342 |   140 |     92 |

## Odisha State:

| As on Date   | Branch   | BCs    | ATM   | IPPB   |
|--------------|----------|--------|-------|--------|
| Mar-2023     | 5,890    | 18,871 | 7,070 | 7,150  |
| Mar-2024     | 6,155    | 29,324 | 7,149 | 8,964  |
| Mar-2025     | 6,349    | 34,468 | 7,030 | 8,976  |
| Oct-2025     | 6,411    | 36,081 | 7,187 | 9,051  |

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