'RRBs should not be ignored'

Former chairman and managing director of Syndicate Bank N K Tingalaya said micro credit played an important role in effective implementation of poverty eradication programmes and regional rural banks were the agents of introducing the micro credit system. As such the importance of regional rural banks should not be undermined, he asserted.

Addressing the branch heads of Karnataka Vikas Grameena Bank he said village economy is still the backbone of Indian economy and RRBs have a major role to play in development of rural economy.

“When a nation is in the grip of poverty, it is impossible to expect a peaceful situation. Therefore eradication of poverty should be the ultimate aim of the country. This can be achieved through the medium of micro credit, whose systematic delivery is possible through the Grameena banks”, he noted.

He praised the KVGB for occupying first place among the RRBs in south India and also its social concern specially in the field of financial inclusion, agricultural lending,,priority sector lending and providing solar lights.

Presiding over the conference chairman of KV G Bank C Sambasiva Reddy said the bank has adopted a clear-cut road map under various parameters as directed by the government,RBI and sponsorer Syndicate Bank.

Towards reaching the farming sections with simple credit products of even remote villages the bank has planned to conduct more Grama Sabhas which the bank has found most effective. Last year the bank has conducted 1457 Grama Sabhas and that has made bank to interact with villagers most effectively. The bank has a target of reaching Rs 13000 crore business level by the end of this fiscal and has planned to disburse Rs 3600 crore in its 9 districts operational area.

To address crisis of electrical power supply, KVG B plans to popularise the initiative ‘Namma Manege Nammade Belaku.’in a still better way. Through this concept the bank has already converted 127 villages as solar villages and this year the bank plans to convert additional 50 more villages as solar villages said Reddy. As per the directions of RBI and NABARD and Syndicate Bank, the bank plans to provide banking facilities to habitations having a population of less than 1,000 using appropriate technologies under Ultra small Branch Concept along with 50 additional regular branches in different areas said Reddy.