Shillong, Sept 29: Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma on Tuesday held meeting with DCs from across the State to discuss on measures to improve banking infrastructure. He has directed the DCs to coordinate with Finance Department to ensure that banking services reach out to rural areas.

He has also directed the Finance Department to ensure appointment of banking correspondents and bank mitras to reach to rural areas, where banking services are not available. Banking correspondents and bank mitras are agents authorised by the bank to facilitate banking services by reaching out to rural area or at individual household level in unbanked areas.

They help in areas where there is no ATMs and branches of banks. A Bank Mitra provides numerous services to the unbanked people. They first take a look at potential customers and help them in opening accounts by verifying identity and collecting all relevant documents.

Earlier, this month CM had called on Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitaram and had apprised her of the poor banking infrastructure in rural areas of the State and had sought for support from the Ministry of Finance, Government of India.