Nabard projects Rs 12,726.83-cr credit potential for Uttarakhand

This envisages an increase of 17.35% over current year projection

The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (Nabard) has projected a credit potential of Rs 12,726.83 crore in the state focus paper (SFP) for 2014-15 in Uttarakhand under the priority sector.

This envisages an increase of 17.35 per cent over the current year projection, said S Selvaraj, chief general manger, Nabard, Uttarakhand, while releasing the SFP. While projecting the credit potential, Nabard took into account the resources endowed with the state, infrastructure and extension support available, market trend, skill profile and the damage caused by the devastating floods last year, Selvaraj said.

Of the Rs 12,726.83 crore, a potential of Rs 4,295.55 crore is for crop loan (short-term loans for agriculture), Rs 1,739.23 crore for long-term investments in agriculture sector, including Rs 2,570.10 crore for non-farm sector and Rs 4,121.95 crore for other priority sector.

As on March 31, 2013, the outstanding loans and advances were Rs 36,237 crore as against Rs 28,768 crore in the previous financial year, thereby recording a growth of 25.96 per cent.

Deposits in banks as on March 31, 2013 stood at Rs 62,714 crore as against Rs 53,799 crore in the previous financial year, indicating a growth rate of 16.57 per cent. As on March 31, 2013, the overall credit-deposit ratio was 58 per cent in the state, which varied between 27 per cent in Almora and 111 in Udhamsingh Nagar.

Against a target of 2 lakh kisan credit cards (KCCs), banks have issued 1.35 lakh KCCs as on 31 March 2013 involving credit limit of Rs 1,260.82 crore. The cumulative number of cards issued till March 2013 tands at 8.11 lakh as against about 10.67 lakh cultivators in the state.