West Bengal banks disburse Rs 3,945 crore in '09 first quarter

Benifitting sectors include agriculture and MSMEs.

Banks in West Bengal disbursed Rs 3,945 crores under the State Annual Credit Plan 2009-10 during the first quarter of the current financial year.

According to a press release by United Bank of India (UBI), the convener bank at the State Level Bankers' Committee (SLBC) for the State of West Bengal, banks in the state disbursed Rs 1,307 crore to the agriculture sector, and Rs 723 crore to micro and small enterprises during April – June 2009 under credit plan.

The disbursement figures for the corresponding quarter of the previous financial year were not available for comparison.

The credit – deposit ratio (CD Ratio) of the banks in the state tocuhed 65 per cent at the end of the first quarter of the present financial year, against 64 per cent in the last quarter of the last financial year.

At the 108th SLBC meeting held in Kolkata, T M Bhasin, executive director, UBI, said that the bankers' committee in the state had identified 938 un-banked gram panchayats in West Bengal where branches would be opened by March 2015.The necessary infrastructural support will be provided by the state government.

He also informed UBI would open 10 branches in un-banked gram panchayats during the current financial year.

Also, SLBC has approved implementation of the interest subsidy scheme of the government of West Bengal for SHGs to provide interest relief up to seven per cent.

This apart, the bankers agreed to extend necessary credit support for replacement of old auto-rickshaws and metered taxis.

M N Roy, principal secretary, panchayat and rural development, West Bengal, informed rural development and self employment training institute(RUDSETI) was set up in eight districts in West Bengal.

It was decided that the RUDSETIs in all remaining districts would be opened in the current financial year.

Bhasin informed UBI had opened three RUDSETIs in the state and planned to open three more in the state during the current financial year.

Lalit Kumar, director, department of financial services, ministry of finance, government of India urged upon the bankers to cover all eligible crops under the National Agriculture Insurance Scheme (NAIS, both for borrower farmers and non-borrower farmers to protect the farmers against crop losses. Senior officials from the state government and senior executives of the RBI, Nabard , Sidbi and bankers also attended the meeting.