New Delhi : India’s Finance Minister inaugurated the two day 25th World conference of Savings and Retail Banks held in New Delhi. Arun Jaitley, Union Finance Minister, Government of India addressed the moment. Held at the Taj Palace Hotel in the Indian capital, the audience during the opening session also heard from State Bank of India’s Chairman Rajnish Kumar, NABARD Chairman Dr Harsh Kumar Bhanwala, along with Rajiv Kumar, Secretary, Department of Financial Services, Ministry of Finance, Government of India.
Under the theme “Sustainable Retail Banking — Making globalization inclusive for all”, the event features speakers and panellists who come from WSBI’s membership as well as experts from throughout the banking world who offered attendees their insight during high-impact panel discussions. Under that theme, outgoing WSBI President Heinrich Haasis provided a summary of achievements made during his six-year association presidency, including inroads made toward a WSBI pledge to provide “an account for everybody”, which was outlined in a 2012 WSBI declaration in Marrakech. Haasis said:
“Since our World Bank Universal Financial Access 2020 commitment made in 2015, WSBI members have added 340 million accounts for 234 million people into the formal financial system thanks to their efforts.”
WSBI President Isidro Faine, gave an acceptance speech as incoming WSBI president. He was followed by fellow Spaniard Javier Solana, former EU High Representative for Common Foreign and Security Policy and NATO Secretary General.
Opening day sessions followed by “Globalisation: the promise of a golden dawn or dystopia in the making?”, examined how WSBI members, as financial institutions that are focused on their local community, could bring the apart — rural and local development for growth in harmony’ to global perspectives and global growth opportunities.
