Select the correct statement/s about banking in H.P.:

(i) As per 2011 census, the average population per branch in the state was 4059.

(ii) The state has a network of 4422 bank branches.

(iii) Shimla is the only urban centre in the state classified by RBI.

(iv) PNB has the largest network of 530 branches in H.P.

Question

Question

This question was previously asked in

HPPSC GS 2022 Official Paper I

Answer 1

The correct answer is option 2.

Key Points

As per the census 2011, the average population per branch in the State comes to 3,202 against the National level of 11,000. Public Sector Banks (PSBs) had 1,165 branches as of September 2021, accounting for more than 51% of the total branch network of the banking sector in the state. Hence statement (i) is not correct.
The state has a network of 2,244 bank branches, with over 76% of them located in rural areas. 13 new branches were opened between October 2020 and September 2021. Hence statement (ii) is not correct.
Currently, 1,715 branches are located in rural areas, 414 in semi-urban areas, and 115 in Shimla, the state's only urban center as designated by the Reserve Bank of India. Hence statement (iii) is correct.
PNB has the most branches with 350, followed by SBI with 329 and UCO with 173. Private sector banks have 188 branches, with HDFC having the most with 75, and ICICI having 32. Hence statement (iv) is not correct.
In the state, four Small Finance Banks operate with a network of 16 branches. With a network of 13 branches, India Post Payment Bank and Financial Inclusion Network and Operations (Fino) Payments Bank are the two Payment Banks operating in the state.