D K S Chauhan, postmaster general (business development, technology and marketing), Gujarat, has opined that the joint venture will focus mainly on rural customers who are in need of loans but are unable to approach the banks. Chauhan said that in Gujarat, the postmasters were imparted training to handle the SHGs’ applicants.

Murlidhar Rao, General Manager at NABARD said that things will take a concrete shape once the issue of risk sharing is resolved. He said banks were not very keen in credit disbursal with NABARD because they thought it was a costly proposition. There are 88,000 SHGs in Gujarat and post offices are going to be an attractive destination for credit expansion to them, he said.