Currently, there are 43 RRBs supported by a dozen public sector banks with 21,856 branches. The government has maintained that consolidation among RRBs has led to better efficiency, increased productivity, and greater credit flow to rural areas. As per the initial roadmap, the plan was to consolidate the number of regional lenders to 38, the official added. Under the viability plan created for each regional lender, the focus is to tap credit potential for MSMEs and put greater thrust on growing the network of rural branches in cluster areas.