Dharwad achieves 66% under agri-lending Rapid Action Plan

Hubli : The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has suggested to banks in Dharwad district to have a Financial Literacy and Credit Counselling Centres (FLCC) at each Blocks. Mr R. Ramachandran, Manager, RBI- Bangalore, while reviewing the performance of banks in the district under Financial Inclusion Plan (FIP), as Lead Bank (Vijaya Bank) is opening Financial Inclusion Resource Centre and also Financial Literacy and Credit Counselling Centre jointly sponsored by Syndicate and Vijaya Bank under the banner of Jnana Jyoti Financial Literacy and Credit Counselling Centre at Dharwar on September 30. The District Level Review Committee (DLRC) meeting chaired by Mr S.V. Dindalkoppa, Project Director, Zilla Panchayat-Dharwar, was held at Karnataka Chamber of Commerce premises. Advising the bank that by just designating business correspondents (BCs) does not serve the purpose of FIP, “There should be full-fledged implementation of FIP by operation of biometric cards,” Mr Ramachandran said. He advised the bankers to speed up the process to cover the remaining 51 unbanked villages of above 2,000 population by the end of this year. Mr Y.N. Mahadevayya, Nabard Assistant General Manager, while reviewing the progress made in the district under Rapid Action Plan of Banks, observed that the coverage is only 66 per cent, remaining 43,000 farmers are to credit linked according to the district statistics by September 30.  While reviewing the district credit plan (as on June 2011), he observed that the total priority disbursal during the quarter is Rs 264.38 crore against a target of Rs 369.72 crore thereby achieving 72 per cent.  Under agriculture Rs 116.46 crore, Small scale Industries (SSIs) Rs 12.45 crore and other priority sector the achievement stood at Rs 135.47 crore.  He advised the bankers to step up advances under agriculture and SSI.  Mr B.A. Tata, Regional Manager, Vijaya Bank, Regional Office-Hubli, speaking on the occasion said the bankers should make special efforts to cover all eligible non-loanee farmers under rapid action plan by end of this month and also advised the bankers to complete Financial Inclusion Plan (FIP) in unbanked service area villages of population above 2,000. As of now coverage is only 26 out of 77 villages.

HBL