Thiruvananthapuram: The state government sources reveal that Kerala Bank will be launched soon in 2018 itself. Minister for co-operation Kadakampally Surendran said the branches of Kerala Bank will be opened in foreign countries also in the second phase.

It is said that the state government is expecting a NRI deposit of Rs 1.5 lakh crore in Kerala Bank.

Secretary P Venugopal promised representatives of NRI association that Kerala Bank will be ready within this year.

“Government possess the license for scheduled bank. So there would not be any problems to start the bank. Kerala Bank will be the largest bank network after SBI,” said Secretary P Venugopal.

Minister Kadakampally Surendran added that government expects deposit and cooperation from NRIs to execute river tourism project by linking seven rivers in south Malabar.

MP PK Sreemathi, MLA M Shamsudeen, MLA PV Anvar and Tourism Pricipal Secretary V Venu attended the meeting.