Jammu, June 25: A small and remote village in the Rajouri district of Jammu and Kashmir, Bal Jarlan, has long struggled with a lack of banking services. However, significant improvements have been made in recent years, largely due to the central government’s National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM) initiative.
Under the NRLM, a ‘Business Correspondent’ (BC) unit has been established in Bal Jarlan in collaboration with Jammu and Kashmir Bank. This initiative has transformed banking services in rural areas, making them more accessible and reducing the difficulties residents faced in traveling long distances for banking needs.
The BC unit provides various services directly to households, including account openings, cash deposits and withdrawals, social security benefits, transactions related to government schemes, and other digital banking services.
Elderly residents, low-income families, students, members of self-help groups (SHGs), and others in the area are the primary beneficiaries of this program.
Local residents shared how this initiative has significantly impacted their lives. Mohammed Niyaz mentioned that previously, banking facilities were unavailable, forcing them to travel long distances. “This center has provided us with immense relief. We even receive assistance on weekends,” he said.
Female beneficiary Nazim Akhtar noted that accessing banking services was once challenging for locals. “Now, all types of services are available here. Earlier, we had to go to urban areas even for fixed deposits. Today, banking accounts, fixed deposits, pensions, and insurance services are all accessible right here,” she stated.
In addition to promoting financial inclusion, this unit has also created a sustainable source of employment for the members of the self-help groups operating it.
Program Manager Kamran Hani explained that the BC unit established under NRLM addresses the needs of local residents who were previously deprived of banking services. “We also assist people in availing government welfare and social security services right at their homes, creating job opportunities for locals,” he added.
The BC unit in Bal Jarlan is rapidly emerging as a successful example of ‘Digital India’ and ‘financial inclusion.’
It is noteworthy that NRLM is a key program aimed at alleviating poverty. Its objective is to organize rural poor families into self-help groups (SHGs) and encourage them to engage in economic activities, thereby significantly increasing their income and helping them escape extreme poverty.
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