Need to improve credit-deposit ratio: Chamba DC

Deputy Commissioner Mukesh Repaswal has urged all banks in the district to take concrete steps to increase the credit-deposit ratio and ensure the effective implementation of lending schemes. He made these remarks while presiding over the quarterly meeting of the District Lead Bank Advisory and Review Committee for the October-December quarter, held at his office on Thursday.

Emphasising the social responsibility of banks, Repaswal specifically directed the State Bank of India, Punjab National Bank, and the State Cooperative Bank to adopt a strategic approach and regularly analyse their performance to ensure the timely and efficient disposal of loan proposals under government schemes. He stressed the need for proactive measures, urging bank managers to facilitate easy access to loans and financial assistance for eligible beneficiaries.

During the meeting, it was revealed that banks in the district had set an annual credit plan target of Rs 1,410.41 crore for the financial year 2024-25. By the end of the third quarter in December, they had already disbursed Rs 1,184.48 crore, achieving 84 per cent of the target. The DC highlighted the need to further improve this performance and called for greater outreach to farmers, entrepreneurs, and small businesses.

He also stressed the importance of ensuring that all farmers in the district are linked with Kisan Credit Cards and that information about various welfare schemes reaches the public effectively. Given that Chamba is an aspirational district, he directed officials to organise awareness camps to educate people about financial initiatives such as the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana, Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana, Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana, Atal Pension Yojana, Aadhaar seeding, and education loans. These efforts, he noted, are crucial to achieving the targets set by NITI Aayog.

The DC further instructed district bank coordinators to prioritise and resolve all pending applications under the state government’s Small Shopkeepers’ Welfare Scheme. He also called on bank managers to expedite the processing of sponsored loan proposals under government schemes like the Rural Livelihood Mission, Urban Livelihood Mission, and PM SVANidhi. Ensuring that these schemes are effectively implemented, he said, would contribute to the financial uplift of people in the district.

During the discussion, Ashish Sangra, Lead District Officer from the Reserve Bank of India, Shimla, highlighted the importance of digital literacy and recommended that banks incorporate digital awareness programmes into their monthly outreach camps. He pointed out that some banks were focusing their lending activities in specific areas and urged them to adopt a more balanced approach across all regions to promote equitable financial growth.

The meeting concluded with a call for greater coordination between banks, government agencies, and the public to ensure the smooth implementation of financial schemes and strengthen the district’s banking infrastructure.