Itanagar, Oct 1: Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman began her three-day visit to Arunachal Pradesh on Monday by leading a high-level meeting in Itanagar to evaluate the performance of seven Regional Rural Banks (RRBs) operating in the North East region, including Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, and Tripura.
The meeting was attended by M. Nagaraju, Secretary of the Department of Financial Services (DFS), senior officials from the Finance Departments of all North Eastern states, and heads of the participating banks. Representatives from key institutions such as the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), NABARD, and SIDBI were also present.
Discussions during the meeting focused on improving business performance, enhancing digital technology services, and promoting growth in related agriculture and micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs). Sitharaman underscored the important role of RRBs in supporting rural economies and urged them, along with their sponsor banks, to identify suitable beneficiaries for various flagship Government of India schemes, including the PM Vishwakarma initiative.
Furthermore, the Finance Minister instructed the RRBs to increase their agricultural credit disbursement at the grassroots level, particularly in horticulture and allied activities such as piggery, poultry, dairy, and fisheries, to bolster rural livelihoods.
On her second day in Arunachal Pradesh, Sitharaman will travel to Namsai, where she is expected to inaugurate the new State Bank of India (SBI) Regional Business Office and engage in various activities aimed at promoting financial inclusion and driving economic development in the North Eastern region.
On the final day of her visit, October 2, Nirmala Sitharaman will participate in the Swachhata Hi Seva program in Namsai, highlighting the government’s commitment to cleanliness and community welfare as part of the nationwide campaign.
