HDFC Bank, the country's largest private sector lender, said it aims to double its rural reach to two lakh villages, which will see it hire 2,500 people in the next six months.
The bank also said it aims to double its presence in the next 18-24 months through a combination of branch networks, business correspondence, business facilitators, CSC (common service centres) partners, virtual relationship management and digital outreach platforms.
Earlier, the Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had voiced disappointment over banking reach and asked lenders to do more.
HDFC Bank said that after the expansion, the bank's reach will increase to a third of the villages in the country.
“India's rural and semi-urban markets are underserved in credit extension. They present sustainable long-term growth opportunities for the Indian banking system,” its Group Head (Commercial and Rural Banking) Rahul Shukla said.
(With inputs from PTI)
