The Punjab Government and ICICI bank are proceeding well on their course for a tie-up to provide services in the spheres of skill development and rural banking to the people of the state. In a meeting here today with the representatives of the ICICI Bank, the Deputy Chief Minister, Punjab, S. Sukhbir Singh Badal today asked ICICI Bank to focus on establishing 25 skill development centers in the State. Besides this discussions were held with bank officials whereby the bank will open 250 branches in Sewa Kendras. The twin objective of this move is to both provide skill development to youth in rural areas as well as quality banking facilities. The Deputy CM asked bank officials to establish 25 skill development centers along the Sewa Kendras as part of their corporate social responsibility initiative. Each centre should skill 1,000 youth each and train 25,000 youth annually. Bank Executive Director (Retail Banking) ICICI, Rajiv Sabharwal while briefing the Deputy CM said all the youth skilled in these centers would get assured employment as the bank had tie up with the industry and trained youth as per industry requirement only. Mr Sabharwal said the youth would be provided training in various vocational and skill enhancing disciplines of electrical home appliances, tractor mechanic, pump operator and AC repair with active assistance from the technical education and Industrial Training department. The Deputy Chief Minister also said that 250 branches of the ICICI Bank would be made operational in the Sewa Kendras throughout the state. He elaborated that this venture would lay stress on providing all kinds of services including loans, to the people with prime focus being on rural banking. Batting for the cause of farmers, the Deputy Chief Minister asked the bank representatives to explore the possibility of providing accidental death insurance and life insurance to the farming community. On this occasion, the ICICI Executive Director acknowledged said the impact of Invest Punjab promotional campaign. He said that the bank was eagerly looking forward to actively participating in the Progressive Punjab Investors Summit to be held on 28-29 October at Mohali.
