Karnataka Vikas Grameena Bank (KVGB) – a regional rural bank with 553 branches in nine districts of Karnataka – will soon appoint 150 women ‘daily deposit collectors’ (pigmy agents).

Launching two new schemes of the bank at Dharwad on Thursday, Ashok Reddy, Chairman of the bank, said that the bank will conduct interviews, exclusively for women, to work as pigmy agents. Women in the age group of 18-40 years can apply for this.

Stressing the need for appointing adequate women pigmy agents to ensure greater participation of women in financial inclusion, he said only 35 per cent of women have an account with a formal financial institution in his bank’s area of operation. (The bank has jurisdiction over Dharwad, Gadag, Haveri, Bagalkot, Belgaum, Vijayapura, Uttara Kannada, Udupi, and Dakshina Kannada districts). Where as, 90 per cent men have an account with a formal financial institution in its area of operation.

Stating that women are committed to work, he said they can excel in any field and can effectively deal with the people, especially women. The bank is providing self-employment opportunity at the one end and at the same time wants to utilise their services in inclusive growth, he said.

Scheme for women MSMEs

A press release by the bank said here that the bank has launched a scheme – ‘Vikas Mahila Shakthi’ – for women entrepreneurs for setting up new units or business, and also for upgrading existing units or business.

The bank wants to extend loans to more than 10,000 women entrepreneurs in MSME (micro, small and medium enterprises) by the end of 2014-15. Each branch has been given a sub target of identifying and financing at least 20 women entrepreneurs.

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