Bankers seek time to finalise debt waiver scheme

Without specifying the time frame, bankers requested the ministry to give them "some more time" in respect of giving confirmations to State Level Bankers Committee (SLBC) for the finalisation of the list of beneficiaries under the Agricultural Debt Waiver and Debt Relief Scheme, 2008 scheme, an official of SLBC said.     

However, a senior bank official said, "Now, it would take one or  two days more (than the deadline) for finalising the list of beneficiaries."     

Finance Minister P Chidambaram had directed public sector banks to furnish the list of beneficiaries by June 25.     

In a letter dated June 24, the Ministry had issued two new clarifications regarding the "write off" accounts and "poultry and dairy advances" that are to be kept in mind while finalising the list of beneficiaries.     

The ministry clarified, "if the entire loan is taken for putting up fencing or sheds only under poultry and dairy advances, then it would not be covered. However, if the part of the loan is used for sheds, fences then the entire composite loan amount would be reckoned for calculating eligible amount".