Bhubaneswar, Nov. 14: Chief minister Naveen Patnaik today wrote to Union finance minister Arun Jaitley seeking his intervention to ensure proper currency supply and banking access in the state.

In a letter to Jaitley, he said that "70 per cent of gram panchayats with 1.65 crore people constituting 47 per cent of the rural population do not have proper access to banking facilities" in the state.

"I would request you to instruct the RBI and other banks to urgently provide mobile banking services or set up temporary counters in unbanked gram panchayats. The state government will provide requisite support and infrastructure for the purpose," said Naveen.

Naveen, whose party has been maintaining equal distance from the Congress and the BJP, also asked his party workers to help people who are facing hardships while exchanging old currency notes at banks and post offices. He wanted the party workers to assist such people as volunteers.

Naveen had welcomed the Narendra Modi government's move to demonetise Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency notes.

On November 11, Naveen had tweeted: "Reviewed post demonetisation situation and directed special measures to ensure hassle free services for all and especially to those in interiors."

The BJD has refused to join the proposed all-party delegation called by Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee, which will meet President Pranab Mukherjee over the hardships being faced by people over demonetisation.

Reacting to Mamata's initiative, BJD spokesperson Pratap Deb today said: "There is no question of the BJD joining the delegation."