New Delhi, Sep 2: At the launch event of India Post Payments Bank on Saturday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi revealed that officials of Dena Bank had searched for him for 32 years. Narrating an incident at the event, PM Modi said he couldn't maintain a permanent bank account due to non-availability of enough money till he was elected to the Gujarat Assembly.

PM Modi said that during his school days he had opened a 'piggy bank account' with Dena Bank. “You will be surprised to know, but I had no relation with a bank account in my entire lifetime, however, when we used to study in school, there was a scheme from Dena Bank, they use to give a gullak (piggy bank) to children and open their account,” he said. Congress Left Nation's Economy on Landmine, Says PM Modi at Launch of India Post Payments Bank.

According to PM Modi, he couldn't deposit a single penny in his account, and Dena Bank officials searched for him for 32 years as he had left his village. "After 32 years, they got to know I was at a particular place, so the bank officials came there and said, please sign, we need to close your account," the prime minister said.

PM Modi added that he had to open an account to get his salary after he became an MLA in the Gujarat Assembly. "Before that, there was no (operational) account," he said. Before his address, he launched India Post Payments Bank (IPPB) aimed at strengthening financial inclusion by taking banking services to the unbanked rural areas across the country.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 02, 2018 09:43 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).