Amarnath Yatra Bus Crash Injures 39 As Ministry Pushes RBI Bank Licences

Thirty-nine Amarnath Yatra pilgrims sustained injuries when a speeding bus skidded off a mountain road and crashed into a residential house in Jammu and Kashmir's Ganderbal district. Officials reported that the driver lost control while negotiating a sharp curve, but a damaged residential structure fortunately prevented the transport vehicle from plunging further into the Sindh river. Local residents and security personnel quickly mobilized to evacuate the injured passengers to a nearby hospital for emergency medical treatment. Authorities confirmed that most victims suffered minor injuries, and no residents were inside the impacted home during the collision.

In a separate development, the Ministry of Cooperation formally urged the Reserve Bank of India to open up licensing for more urban cooperative banks to ensure financial inclusion across every town. Speaking at a book release event, Cooperation Ministry Secretary Ashish Kumar Bhutani stated that expanding cooperative banking is a primary focus area. The RBI previously halted new licences in 2004, though a recent discussion paper tentatively proposed allowing entities with a strong financial track record and a minimum capital of ₹300 crore. Industry experts note that out of 1,450 urban cooperative banks nationwide, nearly 1,100 are concentrated in Maharashtra, Gujarat, and Karnataka.

Highlighting the success of state-level pilot projects in Gujarat districts like Panchmahal and Banaskantha, officials reported an additional ₹20,000 crore in cooperative bank deposits after channeling institutional accounts through the cooperative sector. Meanwhile, transport officials are reviewing safety corridors following the Ganderbal bus incident to protect future pilgrims traversing the difficult mountainous terrain.