Ranchi: Banks in Jharkhand are eyeing to open 149 more branches during the 2026-27 fiscal year, besides setting up outlets and re-activating dormant banking correspondents (BCs) with the aim to expand their network in the state.During the recently held state-level bankers committee (SLBC) meeting, bank officers stressed on increasing the number of branches while pointing out that Jharkhand has 10.51 branches per 1,00,000 population against the national average of 14.1 per 1,00,000.As a part of the expansion drive, banks have opened 42 branches in the last quarter of previous financial year. Overall, 92 branches were opened in the state in the 2025-26 FY.The numbers of branches of various banks in the state as on March 31 were 3,506 with the State Bank of India having the highest at 693.Taking part in the SLBC meeting, director of the department of financial services, Union govt, Anjani Thakur said, “The performance of the banks in opening new branches should be monitored on quarterly basis. Its report should also be presented before the SLBC meetings.”Moreover, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has identified 23,828 centres -- 23,802 with population below 5,000 and 26 with above 5,000 -- and instructed the bankers to bring these areas under banking services. Banks have been asked to give priority to centres with population above 5,000.In another drive, banks are also activating their dormant BCs. A meeting of banks with the top 10 inactive BCs was held. The national strategy for financial inclusion (NFSI) has instructed the banks to give priority to gender inclusion in BC model adding that at least 30 per cent of them should be women by 2030.