Aizawl: Governor Gen Vijay Kumar Singh on Monday said Mizoram, being a revenue-deficit state, needs focused efforts to raise revenue, with rural economic development playing a key role. He was speaking at Lok Bhavan while releasing the 43rd annual report of Mizoram Rural Bank (MRB) for FY 2025-26.Commending MRB’s performance, the governor urged officials not to be complacent and to work with greater dedication for improved outcomes. Calling MRB the backbone of rural finance in Mizoram, he noted the bank’s reach across remote hilly areas and asked it to strengthen delivery of central schemes, including education loans and social security programmes, to ensure wider coverage and effective implementation.Singh stressed the need to build strong market linkages so farmers can secure better prices for their produce. He also called for wider outreach programmes, improvement of the credit-deposit ratio and maintaining zero non-performing assets. The governor urged MRB to work closely with NABARD to develop rural infrastructure and to regularly review performance, publicise its initiatives and strive for excellence.Bhaskar Manta, general manager of NABARD Aizawl, said NABARD and MRB have worked closely to provide financial services to poor farmers, women and self-help groups, and reaffirmed NABARD’s support to MRB and the people of Mizoram.In FY 2025-26, MRB crossed Rs 10,000 crore in total business, reaching Rs 10,656.08 crore, with 11.26% year-on-year growth — the highest among northeast regional rural banks. The bank reported a net profit of Rs 152.27 crore, the second highest among northeast RRBs, and was among the first four RRBs in India to achieve business per branch above Rs 100 crore at Rs 100.53 crore.Business per employee stood at Rs 21.70 crore, ranking second among all RRBs in India and first in the northeast. Digital transactions accounted for 97.36% of total transactions, the highest among northeast RRBs and second among all RRBs nationwide. MRB recorded a credit-deposit ratio of 63.29%, the second highest in the northeast, and achieved 154% of the DFS target under PMMY — the highest in the region.MRB remains the largest lender in Mizoram with advances of Rs 4,129.98 crore and the second largest in deposits at Rs 6,526.10 crore. It leads in government-sponsored schemes, holding 78% of PMJDY accounts, 56% of PMJJBY enrolments, 53% of PMSBY enrolments and 43% of APY enrolments. It also dominates priority and weaker-section lending with market shares of 95% in SHGs, 90% under NRLM, 79% under NULM, 67% under KCC, 29% under MUDRA and 27% under PMEGP.A scheduled commercial bank, MRB has 106 branches and 491 employees across all districts. In unbanked areas, it has deployed around 350 business correspondents and runs MRB RSETI in Kolasib.
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