The announcement made by our Finance Minister Mr Pranab Kumar Mukherjee during his budget 2010 speech on RBI permitting more Private Sector Banks (including converting some successful NBFCs) is a welcome move. For last few years, the issue was about consolidation of Public Sector Banks (including SBI Group) which was unwelcome by many circles like customers, employees and managements. On the other hand, Financial Inclusion continues to be hot topic in terms of welfare and development. Rural Banking continues to be a cause of concern to many because it is perceived as less productive and cumbersome. In such a dichotomous situation, GOI taking such a bold step of permitting more private sector banks is interesting. Studies have shown that about 2 lacs farmers committing suicides in last twelve years is a warning signal that all the welfare measures have still not percolated and reached the needy. Typically, PSBs continue to be the dominant players - be it in branch expansion, staff recruitment, increasing of ATMs and automation - rural lending or customer care. Peculiar is the scene that of the new generation banks after reforms in 1993, Times Bank and Global Trust Bank have got merged; ICICI Bank and IDBI Bank got reverse-merged with parents; UTI Bank underwent strategic changes leaving players like IndusInd Bank and HDFC Bank steady. Yes Bank is innovating in its services and products while Kotak Mahindra (was an NBFC) is growing steadily in a smooth manner. We have got to wait and see how many new players would enter with the new offering. Earlier, RBI/GOI Policy of inviting more Foreign Banks did not yield expected results. Let us hope there will be a perfect level playing field in the banking industry in the days ahead.