Public sector banks have opened a total of 11,887 branches in various regions, including rural and metropolitan areas, and recruited over 1.72 lakh persons in these new offices in the last three financial years.

Public sector banks (PSBs) opened 3,719 branches in 2009-10; 3,506 branches in 2010-11; and 4,662 branches in 2011-12, Minister of State for Finance Namo Narain Meena said in a written reply to the Rajya Sabha today.

The branches were opened in areas such as rural, urban, semi-urban and metropolitan areas.

As many as 25 PSBs in new bank branches recruited 58,900 personnel in 2009-10, 57,758 persons in 2010-11 and 55,632 personnel were recruited in 2011-12, Meena said.

A total of 26 banks disbursed Rs 2.74 lakh crore as agriculture loan to farmers during 2011-12; Rs 46,740 crore as education loan as on March 31, 2012 and Rs 2.23 lakh crore as credit to women as on March 31, 2012, he said.

Total of 5,539 complaints were disposed off against disbursement of loans in 2009-10; 3,851 in 2010-11; 5,539 cases in 2011-12 while 3,256 cases have been disposed so far in 2012-13, the minister said.

"Under the Banking Ombudsman Scheme of RBI, grounds of complaints concerning loans and advances...Include delays in sanction, disbursement and non-observance of prescribed time schedule for disposal of loan applications," Meena said.

Banks have their own grievance redressal mechanism approved by their respective boards and appropriate action is taken as per the said policy of the respective bank, he added further.