Jharkhand CM advises NABARD, nationalised banks to focus on loans to rural masses

Hemant attends NABARD state credit seminar 2022-23

Ranchi, Feb 23: Chief Minister Hemant Soren advised banks to focus on providing loans to rural masses of all sections and communities in the state.

Addressing the state credit seminar 2022-23 organised by Nabard in Jharkhand secretariat on Wednesday, Hemant Soren said the role of NABARD is important in the economic and social development of the state along with nationalized banks and private banks contribute, especially in the strengthening of the rural economy. People living in rural areas have high expectations from all these institutions.

“The bank should focus on providing loans to people of all sections-all communities in the state and Kisan Credit Card to more and more farmers.  Indifferent attitude towards providing credit is not good, there is a need for improvement in the methodology,” said Soren.

The Chief Minister said that due to lack of financial availability with the poor, farmers, youth and the needy, they are not able to generate employment.

“The state government is making continuous efforts to make such sections of people financially strong and prosperous. All sections of people have equal participation in the all-round development of the state. During field visits, many times I have received complaints from the general public especially women about non-providing of loans by the banks. From the complaints against the banks by the general public, it seems that the attitude of the banks towards the needy is indifferent in providing credit,” said Soren.

The Chief Minister said that the state government would soon complete the schemes like employment generation, quality education, better health services, housing for every person, construction of check dam-canal for irrigation.

“Working with commitment. Continuous efforts are being made for the availability of electricity from door to door through solar energy even in remote rural areas within the state. But it is also true that in all these sectors, whether it is a city or a village, we need to implement development plans at a faster pace. There is a need to work more seriously with the various banks established in the areas including NABARD,” said Soren.

“The work of providing loans to self-help groups including horticulture-animal husbandry for other works is also being done. It has been the priority of the state government to cover 100% farmers of the state with Kisan Credit Card,” added Soren.

 The Chief Minister said that NABARD should take positive initiatives in the direction of providing loans, only then villages, poor, farmers, women and youth would be happy and prosperous.

“I am sure that by coordinating with the state government, NABARD will play an important role in the all-round development of the state. Representatives of NABARD and all the banks should constantly discuss how to make the state financially self-sufficient by providing loans to the needy people,” said Soren.

Agriculture Minister Badal Patralekh said that the people belonging to ST/SC community are not being provided with loan commitment by the banks. Banks should ensure to provide loans to this category of people on priority. The state government has worked to bring 58 lakh Birsa farmers within one umbrella. Connecting all 58 lakh Birsa farmers with KCC is the priority of the state government. The bank will solve all the problems and problems by coordinating with the state government.

Chief Secretary Sukhdev Singh said that 35 lakh farmers in the state have been given the benefit of PM Samman Yojana, but more than 10 lakh farmers could not be linked with Kisan Credit Card (KCC).

The Chief Secretary said that NABARD should ensure that 100% farmers are provided KCC in the coming one year. The loan to the state from NABARD should be doubled. The loan amount should be more than about 2.5-three thousand crores. There is also a need to spend in RIDF fund. He said that work should be done on which product should be promoted in which district under the One District One Product Scheme. There is also a need to move ahead with the Prime Minister’s Matsya Yojana.