Tamar (Ranchi), June 22: Punjab National Bank (PNB) today launched its seventh rural financial inclusion project in the same Tamar locality from where extremists had hijacked a van of ICICI Bank carrying Rs 5.11 crore one month ago.

A function was organised for the purpose on the Deori temple premises at Parasi village in Tamar.

Chairman and managing director of the bank K.C. Chakrabarty was present at the event with the general manager of Reserve Bank of India (RBI), Ravi N. Mishra, and chief general manager of National Bank of Agriculture and Rural Development (Nabard) K.C. Shashidhar.

Under the rural financial inclusion project, the PNB will take banking services to the doorsteps of 12 villages around Parasi with the help of Biometric Smart Card provided by IT major HCL. Villagers, under the project, can open their account and conduct transactions from their homes. Addressing the programme, Chakrabarty said that it was the first financial inclusion project of the country launched in a tribal and backward area.

“Earlier, PNB has launched all its six pilot projects in non-tribal areas including Neemrana of Rajasthan, Tineri Panchayat in Bihar, Matki Jharoli in Uttar Pradesh, Guraru in Bihar, Mauli Jagran in Chandigarh and Kullu in Himachal Pradesh,” he said.Villagers and representatives of more than 20 voluntary organisations and self-help groups attended event.