More than 13.76 lakh accounts opened since November 26: Labour Ministry

Under its campaign to bring all workers into the banking fold, the Labour Ministry on Wednesday said it has opened so far more than 13.76 lakh accounts for both organised and unorganised sector workers since November 26.

Labour Minister Bandaru Dattatreya on Wednesday met Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and urged him to issue more and more lower denomination notes -- Rs 10, Rs 20, Rs 50 and Rs 100-- in large numbers, as this will be beneficial to the large number of workers, Labour Ministry said. "The Minister also apprised the Finance Minister about the campaign undertaken by the Labour Ministry to open bank accounts and stated that so far 52,852 camps have been held till date all over India and 13,76,243 accounts opened," it added.

Senior officers have been deputed to various States to oversee the campaign that has been conducted by the team of officers for opening of bank accounts, it said quoting Dattatreya. The campaign was started from November 26, 2016 for the workers in organised and unorganised sectors who do not have bank accounts. Dattaterya also requested Jaitley to expedite and bring more Rs 500 currency notes into circulation and to ensure their availability to industrial and other institutions which employ large number of workers.

He suggested that Finance Ministry can utilise the services of retired bank employees in all the endeavours that has been taken by it and the Government to man banks and to bring more people into banking fold in order to overcome the hardships of the workers, the Ministry said.