Guwahati:Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi has urged the public sector banks to not be confined only to business houses but to play an important role in overall development of the state by discharging their social responsibilities.
Addressing the Special State Level Bankers’ Committee meeting last evening, Gogoi called upon the nationalised banks to increase the credit-deposit ratio in Assam. He pointed out that the credit-deposit ratio of the banks in Assam is much lower than the national average.
“The Chief Minister expressed the view that the role of the banks should not be confined to business alone and they should also play a pivotal role in the overall development of the state.
He hoped that the banks would also discharge their social responsibilities in the days ahead,” an official release said. Gogoi asked the banks to ensure that the common man gets more access to banking facilities.
“The common man must get more access to banks. This will ensure more economic prosperity,” the release said quoting him.
He also urged the lenders to simplify the process of granting loans. Gogoi opined that the banks can explore the possibility of arranging loan recovery mela along with the loan mela.
Talking about loans to women, he said: “The women SHGs are doing exceedingly well and have good records of repayment of loans. They are managing their finances well by keeping their records properly. The banks must extend assistance to such SHGs to prosper financially.” .
The Chief Minister also asked the banks to provide assistance to more than 18 lakh weavers in the state and requested them not to insist on weavers’ photo identity cards but to accept the certificates issued by the Handloom and Textiles Department for providing loans.
Speaking on the occasion, State Bank of India Deputy Managing Director M G Vaidya said that more efforts would be made to reach the benchmark of 60 per cent credit-deposit ratio in the state from the present 45 per cent.
“Assam is a land full of opportunities and the banks will continue partnering with the state government and other stakeholders in taking the state along the path of progress and prosperity,” he added.
Vaidya pointed out that the banks have been able to achieve the targets set in the last Special State Level Bankers’ Committee meeting in so far as opening of 200 new branches and disbursing loans to the tune of Rs 3,800 crore to the MSME sector in the state are concerned, the release said.
He said the banks would work on a mission mode with the state government and other stakeholders in providing more KCC loans to farmers and in promotion of SHGs in the state. (PTI)
