Productivity Growth of Regional Rural Banks

Abstract

This paper examines total factor productivity technical and scale efficiency changes in regional rural banks by using data from 192 banks for the period 1996 to 2002. Rural banks showed significant economies of scale in terms of assets and number of branches under each bank. Total factor productivity growth of rural banks was higher in profitability than in service provision during liberalisation. Banks located in economically developed as well as low banking density regions exhibited significantly higher productivity growth. Overall there is a convergence of efficiency of rural banks during the study period. Parent public sector banks have no influence on the efficiency and productivity growth of rural banks. There is a justification for opening new banks in low banking density regions as efficiency and productivity growth of rural banks in these areas are high. There is also a case for mergers and enlargement of the asset base and the number of branches under each rural bank.