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Easy Business Unit of J&K Bank opens in Kathua border village as Jitendra Singh cites Jan Dhan growth

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Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh inaugurated an Easy Business Unit of Jammu and Kashmir Bank at Chakra village in Hiranagar, Kathua district, to bring banking services closer to local residents, PIB said on 25 October 2026.

Easy Business Unit: Dr Jitendra Singh at the inauguration of the J&K Bank Easy Business Unit at Chakra village, Kathua
Dr Jitendra Singh at the inauguration of the J&K Bank Easy Business Unit at Chakra village, Kathua Photo: PIB (Government of India, free to use with credit).

What the Easy Business Unit offers

The facility is meant to give people easier access to financial transactions, government welfare schemes and digital banking, the release said. Speaking at the event, Dr Jitendra Singh said banking has become essential at a time when citizens rely more and more on technology and digital platforms for payments and government services. He said that under the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana more than 59 crore bank accounts have been opened across the country, allowing people to receive government benefits directly through Direct Benefit Transfers. He also mentioned the Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana, which gives collateral-free loans to small businesses, and the PM Vishwakarma scheme for artisans and craftspeople in traditional trades.

Key Facts

  • Facility: J&K Bank Easy Business Unit
  • Place: Chakra village, Hiranagar, Kathua
  • Kathua branches: 31 (2014) to a projected 55
  • Doda branches: 53 to a projected 92
  • Jan Dhan accounts nationwide: 59 crore+ (minister)

J&K Bank branch growth in the constituency

The minister gave figures for the expansion of J&K Bank’s network in the Udhampur-Kathua-Doda parliamentary constituency. In Kathua, branches have risen from 31 in 2014 to a projected 55, with 13 new branches added over the past 12 years and 11 more in the pipeline. In Udhampur, the network has grown from 26 to a projected 38 branches, with 10 new branches working and two in the pipeline. In Doda, branches have increased from 53 to a projected 92, with 31 new branches running and eight in the pipeline. He said the aim is better access to banking, smoother Direct Benefit Transfers and support for welfare and livelihood schemes. These are the minister’s figures as reported by PIB.

Financial inclusion and border roads

Dr Singh said the border areas of Jammu and Kashmir have made major progress since 2014, recalling that many places earlier lacked proper roads, mobile networks and basic services. Roads now reach up to the zero line in several stretches along the international border, he said, and mobile towers using technology suited to border needs, including directed-signal systems, have been installed. He also spoke of bunkers built to prescribed security standards to protect residents during cross-border firing. Better infrastructure and security, he said, have given border families more confidence and eased the conditions that once forced some to migrate. The release did not say how many people the new unit is expected to serve. He also referred to projects such as the Vande Bharat rail service, saying better connectivity has been a priority despite the region’s difficult terrain.

Why It Matters: A bank counter in a border village saves residents long trips for cash, pensions and welfare payments, and supports small local businesses.

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Source: PIB, Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, 25 Oct 2026 · Jammu and Kashmir Bank

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