Banks told to achieve targets under central schemes

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Mangaluru: Expressing concern over substandard performance, Dakshina Kannada zilla panchayat CEO Narwade Vinayak Karbhari criticised banks for failing to effectively implement central social security and priority sector loan schemes.He was speaking at a district-level review committee (DLRC) and banking development meeting held at the zilla panchayat on Tuesday. Referring to the implementation of the Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana (PMSBY) and Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana (PMJJBY), the CEO said that some of the banks have enrolled less than 50% of the target under thescheme. While the overall enrolment under PMSBY has reached 94%, it is only 87% under the PMJJBY, he said, and instructed banks to focus more on the schemes.Officials informed that banks in the district have enrolled 57,074 accounts under the PMJJBY scheme and 1,27,830 under PMSBY between April 1, 2025, and March 31, 2026. The disbursement under priority sector housing was Rs 535.1 crore, and the achievement was 86% as against the target of Rs 617.1 crore. The CEO said bankers should collect the list of allbeneficiaries of housing schemes and help them out by sanctioning loans. RBI AGM Arun Kumar said that some CD ratio was 69.4%, showing a decrease of 4.7% from the corresponding CD ratio of 72.8% as on March 31, 2025. Heexpressed dissatisfaction over some of the rural bank branches not lending, despite collecting deposits.

He instructed banks to improve the CD ratio in rural branches.The CEO instructed banks to clear all pending applications under the PM SVANidhi, a special micro-credit facility for street vendors, immediately. “Banks should either accept or reject the applications,” he said.NABARD district development manager Sangeetha Kartha said that the govt of India has identified Dakshina Kannada as a district export hub. With a strategic focus on petroleum products, seafood, cashew and coffee, this initiative aims to double regional exports. Kartha has urged local bankers to support this effort by actively assisting entrepreneurs and facilitating export-related activities. Lead bank manager Geetha Yashodhar and Canara Bank DGM Venkata Varaprasad were present.