Patna,(BiharTimes): The Bihar government has decided to constitute state Industrial Security Battalion to provide security to banks and other establishments in the state.

Speaking at a state level bankers meet here on Wednesday chief minister Nitish Kumar said that a decision in this regard has already been taken.

He said six bank dacoities have till now taken place in 2016 and those involved in them have been arrested and Rs 58,34,500 in cash recovered from them.

Nitish appealed to the banks to be prepared for implementation of Students Credit Card scheme which his government is going to launch from October 2. Under this scheme a student clearing Class-XII would get interest-free loan of Rs 4 lakh for higher studies.

It is one of the seven resolves of the Grand Alliance. The trial run for the scheme would take place between September 15 and October 1. The chief minister expressed unhappiness over opening of only 364 new bank branches against a target of 527 in the last financial year. He also said a new Industrial policy is in the offing and added that preparations have been made for formulation of agriculture roadmap 2017-22, after the completion of second one from 2012-17.

Finance Minister Abdul Bari Siddiqui, Education Minister Ashok Choudhary, Rural Development Minister Shrawan Kumar, Industries Minister Jai Kumar Singh and Chief Secretary Anjani Kumar Singh were present on the occasion.

Senior officials of Reserve Bank of India, State Bank of India, Punjab National Bank and NABARD also took part in the meeting.