The Reserve Bank of India has today placed on its website for public comments, reports of three Working Groups. These are :

(i) Defraying Costs of ICT Solutions for Regional Rural Banks (RRBs);
(ii) Technology Upgradation of Regional Rural Banks; and
(iii) IT support for Urban Co-operative Banks.

The setting up of the Working Groups was announced in the Mid-Term Review of the Annual Policy for 2007-08.

The Working Group on Defraying Costs of ICT Solutions for Regional Rural Banks (Chairman Shri G. Padmanabhan, Chief General Manager, Reserve Bank of India) was constituted to work out modalities and recommend ways to provide financial assistance to RRBs for defraying a part of their initial cost in implementing IT based solutions. While making recommendations, the Group has taken into account the existing IT infrastructure and expertise with the RRBs, models available in the market and financial cost involved in implementing ICT solutions.

The Working Group on Technology Upgradation of RRBs (Chairman Shri G. Srinivasan, Chief General Manager, Reserve Bank of India) was set up to prepare RRBs to adopt appropriate technology and to prepare roadmap to migrate to Core Banking Solutions (CBS) for better customer service. The Report has, among other things, set September 2011 as the target for all RRBs to move towards CBS and all RRB branches opened after September 2009 to be CBS compliant from day one.

Comments and suggestions on both these reports may please be addressed to the Chief General Manager-in-Charge, Rural Planning and Credit Department, Reserve Bank of India, Central Office, Mumbai-400001 or may be emailed.

The Working Group on IT Support for Urban Cooperative Banks (Chairman Shri R. Gandhi, Regional Director, New Delhi Office, Reserve Bank of India) was set up to examine various areas where IT support could be provided to UCBs by the Reserve Bank. The Report has, among other things, taken into account different levels of computerisation and inadequate awareness about the efficacy of computers in enhancing competitiveness prevalent in UCBs and has identified the minimum IT infrastructure that should exist in each UCB regardless of its size, location or profitability.

Comments and suggestions on this report may please be sent to the Chief General Manager-in-Charge, Urban Banks Department, Reserve Bank of India, Central Office, Garment House, Worli, Mumbai-400018 or may be emailed.

Alpana Killawala
Chief General Manager

Press Release : 2008-2009/195