Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee today stressed the need for extending banking services to the rural people of the country for achieving higher level of GDP growth.<br/><br/> Addressing a press conference in Chandigarh he said that only about 40 percent of the country's population has bank accounts. He said that all habitations of more than 2000 population in the country will be provided banking facilities and besides this mobile banking facilities will also be provided to the people. <br/><br/>Finance Minister said that by bringing more people in banking inclusion the dependence of farmers on commission agents would reduce. Mr. Mukherjee said that RBI is regularly monitoring the interest rate charged by the banks from farmers and more and more Kissan credit cards are being issued to the farmers. He said that influence on inflation after increase in the fuel prices would be less than one percent.<br/><br/>Earlier addressing a meeting with the Chief Ministers of the North Zone States and the Union Territory of Chandigarh and Chief Executive Officers of Public Sector Banks and Financial Institutions at Chandigarh, Union Finance Minister advised the banks to provide maximum credit to agriculture and priority sector .He urged the participating states to implement central sponsored schemes . Minister said that the implementation of Aam Aadmi Bima Yojna and Co-Contributory pension Scheme ‘Swavalamban are important priorities before the government. He said that Punjab and Uttrakhand have not yet made the required amendments to the State Cooperative Societies Acts and requested them to take up this task.<br/><br/>In today’s meeting Chief Ministers of Haryana, Himachal Pradesh,Uttrakhand, participated while Finance Minister of Punjab ,Jammu and Kashmir and Delhi, Health Minister of U.P. and representative of UT. Chandigarh participated in this meeting . This was the third meeting of this type. Earlier such meetings were held at Patna and Bombay.<br/><br/>Centre asks Naxal affected states to remain vigilant during bandh. The Centre has asked naxal affected states to take all precautionary steps to thwart any attempt of violence by the Maoists, in view of the two day bandh called by them from tomorrow. The railways have also given a general security alert with detailed instructions to ensure the protection of its properties, rail tracks and passengers during the 48 hour bandh.<br/><br/>Quick response teams have been deployed at sensitive stations and track patrolling intensified. The night operations of trains carrying passengers in the naxal affected areas will continue to remain suspended and speed restrictions have been introduced at sensitive segments of society. Railway running staff has also been asked to remain extra vigilant and alert. <br/><br/>Zonal and divisional level officials of RPF have been coordinating with state Government Rail Police, GRPs to ensure that no untoward incidents takes place. <br/><br/>The railways have also cancelled four trains and diverted the routes of six trains Our correspondent says that the security measures by the railways comes as nearly 150 people had lost their lives following the derailment of Jnaneshwari Express in West Bengal by Maoists on the 28th of May. The bandh call by the Maoists is to protest the killing of Naxal leader Azad in Andhra Pradesh last week.<br/><br/>Meanwhile, In West Bengal Security Measures have been beefed up at Jungal Mahal in the State in view of two days nationwide strike called by the Maoists from tomorrow.<br/><br/>The Director General of Police Mr. Bhupinder Singh told newsmen in Kolkata this evening that camps of the Joint forces engaged to tackle Maoists activities and Police Stations at Maoists infested West Midnapore, Bankura and Purulia districts have been alerted. Mr. Singh said that strong vigil will also be kept along train tracks and inter-State border areas to avert any untoward incident.