Chief Secretary urged upon the banks to start the process of opening of saving bank accounts
Smt. Rajwant Sandhu, Chief Secretary urged upon the banks to start the process of opening of saving bank accounts of all eligible pensioners and added that a time frame should be fixed for the distribution of pension through bio-metric cards. She was speaking in the State level Bankers Committee meeting held here today.
Chief Secretary said that the State Government had decided to distribute social security pension through banks by issuance of bio-metric cards so that the pensioners could get pension at their door steps. She said that the e-payment of dues of Excise and Taxation department would be paid through internet banking soon which would facilitate the industrialists and the business community. She said that a common portal and state gateway is under operational stage where dues and services of various departments would be involved for online payments.
Chief Secretary said that banks in the State have disbursed an amount of Rs. 3401 Crore to finance 1.76 lakh fresh units under various sectors witnessing 57% achievement of annual targets upto September, 2010. She said that the highest achievement to the tune of 209% and 168% had been observed in non-priority sector and Small Micro & Medium Entrepreneurs Sector (MSME) respectively. She said that fresh loans to the tune of Rs. 980 Crores have been disbursed by banks to MSME sector against the target of Rs. 582 Crores upto September, 2010. She said that fresh loans amounting to Rs. 851 Crores were disbursed under various agricultural activities benefiting 1.12 lakh farmers of the State.
Smt. Sandhu said that the priority sector advances of the banks reached to a level of 64% against the national parameter of 40% and agriculture lending increased at a level of 20% against national goal of 18% till September 2010. She said that banks have disbursed sufficient finance to weaker sections that constitute 18% of total lending against the norms fixed at 10%.
She said that about 72% households in the State were covered through revolving credits such as limits sanctioned under Kisan Credit Card (KCC) , General Credit Card and Swarojgar Credit Card by banks in the State upto September, 2010. She said that Deputy Commissioners in the State should prepared a village wise list of willing and left out farmers of the State for coverage under KCC by involving field level functionaries. She said that the landless farmers should also be listed out separately for providing need based institutional finance by banks under new concept of Joint Liability Groups (JLGs) introduced by NABARD. She said that a special district level committee should be constituted to look into the affairs of identification of landless farmers and evolving a suitable mechanism for completion of other formalities required for bank finance.
Chief Secretary said that bankers should come forward to prepare area specific schemes with onward and backward linkages and ensure systematic utilization of the funds to provide more employment opportunities in rural areas. She added that the banks should take advantage of immense scope available in micro hydro power projects, commercial horticulture, tourism and various other services sector.
Sh. Arun Kaul, Chairman and Managing Director UCO Bank said that Himachal Pradesh had become the model State in the country to achieve 100 percent Financial Inclusion and added that the State had also achieved the target of 100 percent credit inclusion in a systematic manner covering all eligible households through institutional credit.
Sh. Ripan Murgai, Field General Manager UCO Bank and Convenor State Level Bankers Committee welcomed the Chief Secretary.
Sh. Ajay Tyagi, Principal Secretary Finance, Sh. A.D.Ratnoo, Chief General Manager, NABARD, Sh. S.K.Bal, General Manager, Reserve Bank of India, Secretaries, Head of Departments, Senior officers of State Government and representatives of various banks attended the meeting.
Posted by BIJENDER SHARMA
on 3:01 AM.
Filed under