Commercial banks yet to reach Taplejung's Mikwakhola

The officials and locals of Mikwakhola Rural Municipality in Taplejung have faced hardships to get banking services and have to travel for hours to the district headquarters as a private bank delayed its plan to open a branch there.

As per the central bank's circulation to the bank and financial institutions (BFIs) some four years ago, the Century Commercial Bank was supposed to open its branch in Mikwakhola. But, the bank has not opened its office until now.

For lack of banking services in the rural municipality, the officials have faced difficulties for the financial transaction of the government offices, Accounts Officer of Mikwakhola Rural Municipality Prashanta Bhattarai said.

"We should rush to the district headquarters to release our own salary. Locals, teachers, officials of the local level and people's representatives have faced difficulties in getting banking services," he added.

As per the government policy, social security allowance, pension and all kinds of payments from the local level should be carried out through the banking channel.       

Chief Administrative Officer of Mikwakhola Yogendra Raj Gurung said, "We made frequent requests to Century Commercial Bank to establish its branch in this rural municipality. But, the bank is avoiding our requests under different pretexts," Gurung said.

The officials and stakeholders are forced to visit the district headquarters at least five times until it is settled after the project agreement is signed, thanks to Century Commercial Bank's deferral to open its branch in Mikwakhola. 

However, Rajendra Adhikari, Chief of General Service Department at the bank's headquarters in Kathmandu said that all equipment are supplied to the field to open the branch office while admitting that it was the bank's mistake to delay in opening its branch due to lack of a reliable internet connectivity service.

Adhikari claimed that security personnel are recruited and a house is rented for the bank's office in Mikwakhola. He said that financial transaction will begin thereafter the internet connectivity is availed.