To set up a women's bank, Bharatiya Bhartiya Mahila Bank, the Union government will seek the Parliament's consent for allocation of Rs 1,000 crore, the government said. The Centre has finalised the proposal to start Bhartiya Mahila Bank with 6 branches, one each in North, South, West, Central and North Eastern part of the country. The government wants to set up the bank with an initial capital of Rs 1,000 crore.    

The Union Minister of State for Finance Namo Narain Meena said in the Rajya Sabha that the move to set-up the women's bank is to encourage women in general and women Self-Help Groups (SHGs) in particular.    

To increase the pace of recovery and manage non-performing assets (NPAs) of banks, the government has advised public sector banks to take a number of new initiatives, which include appointment of nodal officers for recovery, to conduct special drives for recovery of loss assets, and to constitute a board level Committee for monitoring of recovery, the Minister added.