The Finance Minister, Pranab Mukherjee has been urged by the All India Regional Rural Bank Employees Association (AIRRBEA) seeking more autonomy in setting up new branches of regional rural banks (RRBs) in rural areas of the country.

They have also requested the Government not to emphasize on 'branchless banking' using the business correspondent model as the Government is intending to do in order to achieve its goal of financial inclusion.

Secretary General, AIRRBEA, Dilip Kumar Mukherjee said that the Finance Minister has also discussed the issue with heads of public sector banks along with chief ministers of many states in a meet held in Patna recently.

The Association has also given the idea of setting up of a "National Common Software" for catering to the rural credit system in the country, which would be under the governance of a national level banking institution till the time a separate body is formed for the purpose.

In order to ensure smooth and appropriate functioning of rural credit delivery system, the association has also asked the finance ministry for the amalgamations of all RRBs and form a state level RRB under the head "National Rural Bank".