ZIRO, 17 Jul: Lower Subansiri Deputy Commissioner Bamin Nime has issued a stern direction to the banks in the district to provide seamless services to their clients, particularly farmers and small-time entrepreneurs.
Addressing a district consultative committee meeting here on Monday, the DC admonished the banks for “undue delay in disbursement of government-sponsored loans and subsidies,” and said that “bank officials are also government paid employees who ought to perform their duties smoothly by disbursing the government-sponsored loans and subsidies on time and without any undue hassles.”
“Agriculture, horticulture, fishery and animal husbandry farmers, and needy small-time entrepreneurs seek
government-sponsored schemes, including Aatmanirbhar Yojanas, to start their own startups. The government has also devised such programmes and policies for the welfare of the people, and the banks have no reason to sit over such cases,” he said, and urged the banks to speed up disbursement of government loans and subsidies, so that no deserving farmer or entrepreneur suffers due to unnecessary delays by the banks.
He said that “henceforth, cases of undue delays to farmers and entrepreneurs for processing and disbursement of government-sponsored loans and subsidies will be taken up seriously with the particular defaulting banks and necessary actions will be initiated as per the existing RBI guidelines and government norms.”
Officers of the agriculture, horticulture, and fisheries departments also echoed the DC’s opinion, stating that “the loans sought by farmers are seasonal-based, and a farmer seeking loan for kharif crop but getting it sanctioned during rabi season dilutes the whole meaning of good intention of the government schemes because of undue delays by the banks concerned.”
For the current season of the Aatmanirbhar Bhagwani Yojana, 665 loans had been sanctioned by the government, but only 158 loans have been disbursed to the farmers so far. Under the Aatmanirbhar Krishi Yojana, out of 402 applicants, loans were received by only 155 farmers and 247 are still pending. Similarly, under the Aatmanirbhar Pashu Palan Yojana, all 30 applications for loan disbursement are still pending.
Lead District Manager from Itanagar, SR Singh also urged the banks to “pull up your socks and deliver quick and efficient services to marginalised farmers and small-time entrepreneurs.”
He said that, “while the banks must convene 167 gram panchayat saturation meetings in the district, 113 have been held so far and 54 meetings need to be held till the 31st of this month.”
RBI Assistant General Manager from Itanagar, Alok Kumar said that the government’s direction is paramount for the banks in transacting their business. However, he added that “banks need to adjust their guidelines as per the government’s direction from time to time.”
Kumar informed that an RBI office will soon be established in the state capital, “which will be a great relief to the banking sector.”
Hapoli SBI Chief Manager Nurul Saikia, and the branch managers of Apex, Axis, HDFC, CBI, PNB, Canara and APR banks located in the district attended the meeting. (DIPRO)