1. The publication presents data on Aggregate Deposits and Gross Bank Credit of Scheduled Commercial Banks based on Basic Statistical Return-7 giving branch-wise data received from the Head Offices of banks, as on last Friday of December 2006.

2. Aggregate Deposits represents the demand and time liabilities of a bank (excluding inter-bank deposits). The Gross Bank Credit represents bank credit (excluding inter-bank advances) as per Form ‘A’ return under Sec 42(2) of RBI Act, 1934 together with outstanding amount of bills rediscounted with Reserve Bank of India and Financial Institutions.

3. Data from the latest available quarter have been substituted in respect of branches, which did not report the data for the current quarter.

4. In Statement 1, the number of reporting offices for March 2006 quarter and onwards is based on 2001 census population classification. The population group wise annual growth rates for March 2006 quarter and onwards have been worked out taking into account the comparable position of corresponding quarters of preceding year. Data prior to March 2006 quarter are based on population classification as per 1991 census.

5. Statement 2 presents the data for the top 100 Centres ranked according to the size of their Aggregate Deposits and Gross Bank Credit. In the case of Centres, which come within the first 100 Centres either in terms of Aggregate Deposits or Gross Bank Credit but not both, the figures of Credit or Deposits, as the case may be, of such centres are shown in brackets in this statement.

6. Statements 4 to 9 present the data on State-wise and Population Group-wise distribution of Aggregate Deposits and Gross Bank Credit for individual bank-groups. Scheduled Commercial Banks in India are categorised into five groups according to their ownership and/or nature of operation. These bank groups are (i) State Bank of India and its Associates, (ii) Nationalized Banks (including IDBI Ltd. since December 2004), (iii) Foreign Banks, (iv) Regional Rural Banks, and (v) Other Scheduled Commercial Banks. Figures in brackets shown in these statements relate to Metropolitan Centres.

7. A Centre is defined as the revenue unit classified and delineated by the respective State/ Union Territory i.e., a revenue village/city/town/municipality/municipal corporation, etc., as the case may be, in which the branch is situated.

8. Population group classification of banked centres used for the March 2006 quarter and onwards has been revised based on population figures as per 2001 census as against the 1991 census used earlier, while the definition/cut-off size of population groups remains unchanged as follows: a. ‘Rural’ group includes centres with population of less than 10,000. b. ‘Semi-urban’ group includes centres with population of 10,000 and above but less than 1 lakh. c. ‘Urban’ group includes centres with population of 1 lakh and above but less than 10 lakhs. d. ‘Metropolitan’ group includes all centres with population of 10 lakhs and above. This fact may be considered while comparing population group-wise data for March 2006 quarter and onwards with those of the earlier quarters.

9. The totals in these statements may not exactly tally with the sum of the constituent items on account of rounding off of the figures. The unit “one crore” is equal to 10 million.

10. “–” indicates nil or negligible.