The cooperative banking and credit infrastructure in Odisha comprises 9 Urban Cooperative Banks, 18 Rural Cooperative Banks, including the State Cooperative Bank and 17 District Central Cooperative Banks, and 4,287 Primary Agriculture Credit Societies (PACS), the Government of India informed Parliament.
In a written reply, Minister of State for Finance Pankaj Chaudhary said that the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and NABARD are working closely with the Centre to strengthen the financial health, governance and digital inclusion of cooperative banks in the state.
Key measures include permission for Urban Cooperative Banks to open new branches, enhancement of housing loan limits from 10 per cent to 25 per cent of total advances, and extension of directors’ tenure from eight to ten years under amendments to the Banking Regulation Act.
Steps have also been taken to improve digital infrastructure, including reduced licensing fees for Aadhaar-enabled Payment Systems (AePS), establishment of an umbrella organisation for Urban Cooperative Banks, and creation of shared technology services for rural banks.
To further modernise the sector, the Ministry of Cooperation has sanctioned Rs 108.27 crore in 2025–26 for computerisation of 2,711 PACS in Odisha.
