With a vision Padmashri Dr.Vithhalrao Vikhe Patil created facilities for education, and agricultural processing units for monetary purposes, health (hospital), and housing. Further, it was experienced that the existing system of Banking (PSU Banks & DCC Bank) is not sufficient to meet out credit facilities for purchasing land, medical needs of the family, education, and other consumption purposes. Urban Coop. The banking system was felt a necessity for the area of the 50 villages. All the people come together along with other peoples raise share capital of 2-00 Lakh with 400 members and now it is banking unit of about 429.15 Lakh share capital without assistance of Government. It is a self-reliant movement.

Pravara Sahakari Bank was registered in 1974 and commenced banking business in June 1975. Bank was included in the second schedule of Reserve Bank of India on April 5th, 2003, and became a scheduled cooperative bank.

The bank is basically from a rural area. The Head office of the bank is located in Loni Bk. The human touch in the services is a slogan of the bank.

From its inception, the bank has generated 27990 self-employment through need-based finance in the operational area of the Bank.

Before the inception of Pravara Co-op. Bank money lenders laid a more important role to finance in the area of operation of the bank. With the help of the Pravara Co-Op. Bank rural entrepreneurs, self-employed persons, agriculture laborers, small business entrepreneurs, and marginal farmers were rescued from the clutches of money lenders.

At present, our bank is having 120648 account holders who are banking with branches. The system and procedure of lending are also made easy to cater to the genuine needs of the rural masses in the area. Even after this money lenders are not completely eradicated from the area.

As we are working in the rural areas for future expansion of such banks following factors are to be considered by regulators–

i) The basic financial growth of the area is depending on agricultural income. Trade and commence and money circulation in the area is depending upon agriculture inputs. As such the NPA norms instead of 90 days should be one year for all types of advances.

ii) Income tax will be exempted for urban banks particularly in semi-urban and rural areas as primary agriculture societies and regional rural banks are exempted from income tax.

iii) Bank should be able to raise finance from cheaper resources to ECB and IPO.

iv) Interest should be given to the CRR balance maintained with the Reserve Bank of India.

Urban Cooperative Banking in Rural areas tries to uplift weaker sector person to the slightly upper-income group. Urban banks may find it difficult to compete with private sector banks as they are trying to grab more business in the market. To compete with the nationalized banks is also difficult. Urban Cooperative Banks which are working in rural areas do have the potential in working but may need certain protections.

Chief Executive Officer

PRAVARA SAHAKARI BANK LTD.