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Creating access to the rural population for banking and financial services is nothing new to Hatton National Bank. It first embarked on this in the early 1970’s, moving into Debara-ara-wewa and Kebethigollewa to create access to the rural farmers, entrepreneurs and youth. Ever since then, the Bank has made significant inroads with the rural population of the country.
In 1989, the Bank took it’s first step to downscale to the people at the bottom of the pyramid by launching the first ever micro finance programme now globally known as “Gami Pubuduwa” and in the last two decades the Bank opened it’s doors for more people in more places, particularly in the rural setting in Sri Lanka to have access to Micro-savings, Micro-lending, Money transfer services and of late Micro-insurance. To further cement its affinity with the rural Sri Lankan in the area of agriculture and agri-processing industry, the Bank has now devised a new model to expand into rural Sri Lanka by setting up Micro Banking Units with the main focus in bringing financial inclusion to rural Sri Lanka and youth of the country.
The first ever Micro Banking Unit was opened at Kurunduwatte on 15th September 2009 under the auspices of the Hon. Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage, Minister of Power with the attendance of Mr. Rajendra Theagarajah, MD/CEO and Mr. Chandula Abeywickrema, Deputy General Manager – M & RB.
Kurunduwatte is a newly developed model town and is a concept of the Hon. Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage. The development of the basic infrastructure facilities of the town have now been completed and the commercialization is now in progress.
The Kurunduwatte AGA Division comprises of 31 Gramaseva (GS) Divisions. A number of Government Institutions have been established within the newly developed town such as the Police Station, Hospital, Central Bus Stand, Electricity Board, Agrarian Centre, Co-operative Sales Centre. Many tea factories are also situated in the area, which are owned by both the private and reputed companies. The main source of income of the area is agriculture, which comprises mainly of tea and perennial crops.
It reveals that the area has a growing need for banking services, particularly in the agriculture sector as well as commercial sectors. HNB Micro Banking Unit fulfils the promise of “Gami Pubuduwa” by making financial services accessible to people in rural areas with the commencement of the first Micro Banking Unit at Kurunduwatte, Nawalapitiya through a fully equipped IT infrastructure and the providing of ATM facilities to the community.
The concept behind this initiative is to offer a comprehensive package of services including financial assistance, technical know-how and marketing arrangements for the rural community. This will significantly contribute towards the development of the rural agricultural economy, whilst bringing banking to their doorstep.
The Micro Banking Unit will be manned by a four member team and will specially focus on not only offering financial services but also providing financial literacy to the people of Kurunduwatte. The staff are very well conversant in the Micro Entrepreneur development, building dialogue and discussion to economically enrich the people of the area. The unit will be headed by Mr. Indika Panditharatne, who has over 15 years of Micro Finance experience in the Bank.
The Bank proposes in the coming months and years to launch into many rural areas of the country with this new model of a delivery point.
Picture Hon. Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage, Minister of Power Mr. Rajendra Theagarajah, MD/CEO of HNB and Mr. Chandula Abeywickrema, Deputy General Manager – M & RB of HNB at the opening ceremony |
