The Union Minister of State for Finance Namo Narain Meena has stated that in Odisha, the domestic scheduled commercial banks are planning to open 2,361 brick and mortar branches during 2013-15. As per the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), the number of functioning branches of scheduled commercial banks in Odisha is 3,472.    

The Minister said that general permission has been granted to domestic scheduled commercial banks (other than regional rural banks) to open branches, in tier-2 to tier-6 centers (with population up to 99,999) which include rural centers and tribal areas, and rural, semi urban and urban centers of the northeastern states and Sikkim.    

Sanctions have also been granted to open mobile branches in tier-3 to tier-6 centres (with population up to 49,999) which include rural centres and rural, semi urban and urban centres of the northeastern states and Sikkim subject to reporting.