Banks in Thiruvananthapuram have been told to open more branches in rural areas to ensure banking facilities to poorer sections of society.
They should also lend more to women who are now economically and socially empowered, according to A. Sampath, MP.
He said this while inaugurating a meeting of the district-level review committee on banking held here under the auspices of Indian Overseas Bank (IOB), lead bank for the district.
Sampath also launched the annual credit plan for the district for financial year 2013-14.
The new credit plan envisages total disbursement of Rs 7,144 crore under priority sector. Agriculture will get Rs 3178 crore; small and medium sector Rs 514 crore; and services sector Rs 3452 crore.
Salim Gangadharan, regional director, Reserve Bank, stressed the importance of convergence of outlays in the credit plans of banks and development departments at districts.
This must largely be in sync with State plan to bring about better coordination and fruitful direction in the planning process, Gangadharan added.
The meeting reviewed performance of banks for 2012-13 and progress achieved under drought relief programmes and direct benefit transfer (DBT) initiatives.
Sources in the lead bank told Business Line that the DBT programme was progressing but there were some glitches since distribution of Aadhaar cards had not kept pace in the district.
Aadhaar numbers would have to be seeded with account numbers to get the DBT programme going on ground.
Household surveys for opening of accounts were progressing satisfactorily. The lead bank hoped to complete the same over the next two months.
PRIORITY SECTOR
Meanwhile, financial institutions in the district disbursed Rs 4,680 crore by December 31, 2012, under three major sectors of priority sector against the target of Rs 6,452 crore in 2012-13.
This represented achievement of 73 per cent. The disbursement in the agricultural sector amounted to Rs 2,004 crore against a target of Rs 2792 crore (72 per cent), the review meeting was told.
Under the services sector, banks disbursed Rs 2,424 crore against target of Rs 3,151 crore and under non-farm sector, which included industrial credit, Rs 252 crore.
Total bank deposits stood at Rs 39,597 crore and advances Rs 28,369 crore. The credit deposit ratio for the district was 72 per cent.
MGNREGA TOPPER
Thiruvananthapuram stands first in the State with respect to implementation MG National Rural Employment Guarantee Programme under all seven parameters.
C. Haridas, chief regional manager, IOB and convenor, lead bank, delivered the introductory address.
V. Reveendran, Assistant General Manager, Reserve Bank, and Deepthi Sunil, district development officer, National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development, reviewed the performance of banks.
V.R. Muralidhar, lead district manager, deputy and assistant general managers of various banks, senior officers of various development departments participated in the deliberations.