Public sector lender, Syndicate Bank has been ushered the responsibility of bringing total financial inclusion in villages in Udupi, said Syndicate Bank General Manager K Devananda Upadhyaya.

He indicated that out of 190 villages in Udupi having population of 2000 and more, 69 are facilitated with bank branches while 121 do not have access to banking facilities.

Speaking of the bank's strategy in this regard, he said that the first phase will see financial inclusion of 72 villages. Amongst them, 20 will have branch facility while 52 will work in the business correspondent (BC) model.

50 BCs have so far been selected for these villages and the process of financially including these villages is already in progress.

He added that the BCs will receive training in SIBM training Centre in Manipal.

He was speaking at the inauguration of ‘Induction of Business Correspondents' by Syndicate Bank, as part of implementation of ‘Financial Inclusion' project where in he said that 94% of Indian villages are aloof from banking facilites and 51% of the population does not hold a bank account.