RBI's new guidelines have given the domestic scheduled commercial banks a big fillip in their branch opening plans. As per the new guidelines, domestic scheduled commercial banks do not need explicit permission(license) to open new branches in cities with less than 50,000 population.
what this means for some of the banks
- PNB can open 440 more branches this year without bothering about RBI approval
- UCO plans to open 140 branches this year but would need licenses for only 89

Clearly, RBI wants the financial system to reach smaller towns & cities and this would be a big step in that direction.