PALAKKAD: Palakkad, after becoming the first totally computerised district administration in the country two years ago, will now become the first `total banking' district in the country from Saturday, where every household will have a bank account.

There are over three lakh households and the work on enrolling the households to open accounts crossed 95 per cent on Wednesday.

Lead bank manager of the district Sathyanadhan told The Hindu that 35 banks through their 391 branches, with the co-operation of 1,200 kudumbasree units, were working for the last two months to make Palakkad the first `total banking' district in the country.

He said the enrolling work was almost over except in Attappady, where the work would be completed in a day or two.

Chief manager of State Bank of Travancore V.G. Rajeev said the bank, which has 28 branches in the district, achieved 100 per cent financial inclusion by opening 23,097 `no frills' accounts in the 155 wards allotted to it.

The bank organised a massive campaign to achieve the objective.

Even though these accounts were opened with zero balance, people were depositing money in these accounts due to the thrift habit nurtured by the kudumbasree movement, he said.

Following the guidelines of the Reserve Bank of India, Palakkad district was identified to implement the pilot project on 100 per cent financial inclusion by opening `no frills' account or zero balance accounts especially of the poor. The programme is headed by Canara Bank, lead bank in the district, which roped in the Agriculture, Revenue and Panchayat departments and the State Poverty Eradication Mission (Kudumbasree) for implementing the programme.

"After the successful implementation of the project in Palakkad, it will be implemented in the other districts to make Kerala total banking State by 2008," officials in charge of the programme said.

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