Overview

• Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai virtually inaugurated the Indian Overseas Bank branch and ATM in Jagargunda on May 18, 2025, with operations commencing the following day.
• This is the first bank branch in the border villages of Sukma and Bijapur districts, serving approximately 14,000 local residents directly and up to 50,000 people across 30 panchayats.
• The branch facilitates direct benefit transfers for welfare schemes like the Tendupatta Bonus and PM-Kisan Samman Nidhi, enhancing grassroots financial access.
• Jagargunda, once a Maoist stronghold, is now a heavily secured area with CRPF and DRG personnel, barbed-wire fencing, and controlled entry and exit points.
• Operational challenges persist, including limited infrastructure, erratic electricity, poor connectivity, and logistical hurdles in cash transport, with authorities working to address these issues.