Meghalaya Chief Minister, Conrad K Sangma on Saturday urged banks to ensure adequate manpower in rural branches to cater to the needs of the people.
Addressing the 16th annual general conference of SBI SC/ST Employees Association (SEWA) at the auditorium of North Eastern Hill University (NEHU), Conrad said that if banks across the Northeast have adequate manpower, it would be a contribution for the social empowerment of indigenous people of the region.
According to reports, around 42 per cent work force of the SBI in the Northeast include SC/ST employees.
Assuring to work for the welfare of SC/ST employees at different platforms, he told the SBI officials to also ensure that indigenous people of the region were given priority when they apply for loans to start entrepreneurial ventures especially deserving indigenous people of the region who approached the banks to set up their own ventures.
Sangma also said that the Meghalaya government has started a number of initiatives to promote entrepreneurship in the State and is also likely to start incubation centre to promote music and art.
During the programme, the Chief Minister also paid floral tribute to Dr. B. R. Ambedkar, the architect of the Indian Constitution and the champion of the SC/ST communities.
Among others who attended the meeting included Sunil Kumar Tandon, the chief general manager and general managers of SBI North East Circle, Digmanu Gupta and Ajoy Kumar Singh, R P Singh, national president of All India Federation of SBI, DGMs and AGMs of different banks from the region.