Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed met Reserve Bank of India Governor Bimal Jalan on Tuesday and discussed the issue of reviving nationalised banking operations in the state.
"Most of the nationalised banks have almost closed down their operations in the valley and I had a detailed meeting with the RBI Governor in this regard," Sayeed told reporters in Mumbai.
The J&K Chief Minister said his meeting with Jalan was a sequel to his discussions with Union Finance Minister Jaswant Singh.
Later talking to reporters, People Democratic Front leader Mehbooba Sayeed, who is the Chief Minister's daughter, said, "Most of the central (nationalised) banks are on the verge of closure as their staffers have left the state."
She said branches of State Bank of India and Punjab National Bank might shut down soon.
As most of the bank staffers have left the state, the Chief Minister might have sought the RBI governor's permission to recruit locals to continue the banking operations, she said.
Mehbooba also expressed concern over the presence of scanty staff in central agencies like Post and Telegraph.
The JK Chief Minister claimed that security apparatus in the state has been "successful" in countering infiltration from across the border. Sayeed, who also met the captains of the industries and representatives of the film, and travel and trade industries, said he had requested the corporate sector for investing more in the state.
"I have got a good response but it is an on-going process," he said adding Zee group's Subhash Chandra has offerred to start a Kashmiri channel and set up a studio in the state.
Outlining his priority, Sayeed said providing security to people of the state, addressing their alienation and restoration of peace was the agenda of his government.
