Aizawl: Union minister Jyotiraditya M Scindia on Tuesday urged banks to expand their services to remote areas of the northeast and work more closely with local communities to support development in the region.Addressing the Northeast Bankers’ Conclave 3.0 at Mizoram University auditorium, Scindia said the Northeast had significant potential to contribute to India’s growth and called for greater support to farmers, entrepreneurs and local businesses.He said the Centre had taken several steps to develop the region under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership. Highlighting Mizoram’s near-100% literacy rate, forests, natural beauty and pleasant climate, Scindia said the state had strong potential to attract more tourists.The extension of railway services to Sairang was an important milestone in Mizoram’s development, he said. Bairabi-Sairang railway line would improve connectivity with the rest of the country, ease travel and boost tourism, Scindia added.The minister called on banks to help farmers market their produce, expand their businesses and access wider markets, including overseas markets. While several farmers had benefited from bank assistance, he said more needed to be done to improve their livelihoods.Digital transactions accounted for 90.2% of transactions in the Northeast, compared with 81% nationally, Scindia said, describing the figures as evidence of the region’s growing adoption of digital technology.Mizoram chief minister Lalduhoma urged companies to direct more corporate social responsibility funds towards the state, particularly for improving connectivity in remote areas.Although CSR spending had increased across the country, it was not distributed evenly, Lalduhoma said. He added that CSR funding should not be restricted to large, established projects and urged companies to consider Mizoram’s strategic position as a link between India and neighbouring countries.Lalduhoma said the conclave was aimed at strengthening cooperation between govt and banks and ensuring that people benefited from the partnership. Banks, he said, had an important role in community development and improving livelihoods.Mizoram’s credit-deposit ratio stood at 55.83% in 2025-26, while seven banks operating in the state had cash-deposit ratios below 40% as of June 2026, the chief minister said.The state govt has set banks a target of raising the credit-deposit ratio to at least 67% from 2028-29 onwards. Lalduhoma noted that this was still below the Centre’s 70% target and said there was considerable scope for improvement.The state govt’s flagship Bana Kaih, or handholding scheme, has been linked with five banks to support farmers, he said, urging the participating banks to sustain their efforts.Lalduhoma also called on banks to provide loans to young people and work with govt to ensure balanced development across Mizoram, especially in remote areas.
