The 122nd meeting of State Level Bankers’ Committee, Haryana was convened by Punjab National Bank, the Lead Bank of the State of Haryana at Chandigarh today. Shri AK Singh, IAS, Director General (Agriculture) Govt. of Haryana, was the Chief Guest of the Meeting. Shri Rakesh Sethi, Executive Director, Punjab National Bank presided over the meeting. Shri Rajat Sachar, Economic Advisor, Department of Financial Services, MOF, GOI, New Delhi, Shri Harinder Kumar, IRS, Director, IF&CC and Treasury & Accounts Department, Haryana, Shri Amar Nath, General Manager, Reserve Bank of India, Chandigarh, Dr. K. Sayeed Ali, Chief General Manager, NABARD, Regional Office, Haryana, Shri Vinay Kumar, Field General Manager and Convener, State Level Bankers’ Committee, Haryana, Shri Kamal Prasad, Field General Manager, PNB, Ludhiana, Shri IS Phogat, General Manager, PNB, HO, New Delhi, Senior Officers of the State Govt. and Controlling Heads of the Banks operating in the State of Haryana were among those who attended the meeting.
While delivering his Keynote address, Shri Rakesh Sethi, Executive Director, Punjab National Bank & Chairman SLBC meeting, congratulated the banks and State Government Departments for making it possible to convene SLBC meeting within the prescribed period of 45 days from the close of quarter for the 7th time in a row. He called upon the banks to finalize the roadmap for covering of villages under FIP with population less than 2000. To facilitate the banks in achieving the target of Financial Inclusion he also referred to the directions of the Department of Financial Services, Ministry of Finance, Govt. of India to all the banks that a brick & mortar branch be opened if the population of village in under banked district is more than 5000 or more than 10000 in other districts. At places where the opening of a conventional brick & mortar branch is, presently, not viable, in such districts the bank may set up Ultra Small branches.
Shri Rakesh Sethi, Executive Director, PNB informed that as at September 2012, Rural Self Employment Training Institutes (RSETIs) have been established in 14 districts & possession of land in all districts has been taken for creation of permanent infrastructure.
While reviewing the performance of banks under various key parameters in the State of Haryana for the period from October 2011 to September 2012, Shri Sethi informed that banking system in the State has achieved all the National Goals except under Indirect Agriculture. Commercial Banks and RRBs have opened 362 new Branches during the period under review, raising the total number of branches to 3015 as at 30.09.2012. No Block of Haryana is unbanked. The Banks in Haryana have installed 405 ATMs during the period ended September 2012 taking their tally to 2482 as at 30.09.2012.
The total deposits in Haryana have increased by ` 32563 crore from ` 126890 crore to ` 159453 crore thereby showing an increase of 26% during the review period. Total Advances during the period from October 2011 to September 2012 have increased by ` 33116 crore i.e. from ` 92320 crore to ` 125436 crore registering a growth of 36% during review period.
Priority Sector advances have increased from ` 45630 crore as at September 2011 to `60457 crore as at September 2012. Advances to Micro & Small Enterprises have increased from ` 15790 crore as at September 2011 to ` 22061 crore as at September 2012 showing a growth of 40%. Weaker Sector Advances have also increased by ` 2670 crore on YOY basis from ` 11406 crore as at September 2011 to ` 14076 crore as at September 2012 showing growth of 23%.
Shri Rakesh Sethi said that as per the recommendation of the Prime Minister’s Task Force on Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) under the chairmanship of Shri TKA Nair, the banks are required to achieve a YOY growth of 20% in credit to Micro & Small Enterprises and 10% annual growth in number of Micro Enterprises Accounts. Besides, banks are also required to ensure that 60% of MSE advances go to Micro Enterprises by March 2013. He advised the bankers to monitor the progress in providing credit to this vital sector so that the stipulated targets are achieved for the state as a whole. Overall CD Ratio as at September 2012 for State as a whole comes to 79%. Shri Sethi expressed with happiness that no district in Haryana has CD Ratio below 40% as at September 2012.
While speaking on Government Sponsored Schemes he requested the State Authorities to convey the targets to SLBC in the beginning of the 1st quarter of the year so that the sponsoring is evenly spread throughout the year. This will facilitate the bankers also to sanction & disburse the cases in time.
While emphasizing the role of micro financing Shri Rakesh Sethi affirmed that there is a need to have close rapport with NGOs and other agencies including Social Welfare Agencies to help formation and linkage of SHGs. 49182 SHGs have been Saving-linked and 29042 credit-linked as at September 2012.The percentage of Women groups is appreciable at 73%.
As regards recovery of Bank’s Dues in Haryana is concerned, Shri Sethi said that the recovery of the Bank Dues is of paramount importance for recycling of the funds. 686 Recovery Certificate cases amounting to `24.78 crore have been disposed of during the quarter ended September 2012. 5225 cases amounting to ` 127.59 crore are pending as at 30.09.2012 out of which 694 cases involving an amount of ` 9.78 crore are pending for more than 3 years. He requested the State Govt. authorities to devise a mechanism on the lines of Fast-Track Court for the disposal of recovery cases expeditiously to make Haryana Agriculture Credit Operations & Misc. Provisions (Banks) Act (HACOMP ACT) more effective. Besides this, more Lok Adalats also be held in the State to facilitate the banks in the recovery of Bank Dues.
Shri Rakesh Sethi, Executive Director, PNB & Chairman of the meeting assured the State Govt. of full cooperation by member banks in discharging their responsibilities towards strengthening and uplifting the Socio-economic conditions of the people of the State and achieving different missions set by the State Government.
Shri AK Singh, IAS, Director General, Agriculture, Haryana and Chief Guest of meeting expressed pleasure to be associated with august forum of SLBC. He lauded the initiatives taken by Govt. of India for Financial Inclusion, the impact of which is visible in GDP data, banking presence in the state has increased. Banks have completed financial inclusion in the identified villages with population more than 2000 to increase presence of banking. He further informed that Govt. of India has decided to credit fertilizer subsidy directly into the accounts of beneficiaries in 10 pilot districts in the country. Sonepat District in Haryana has been selected for the above project. Appreciating the Aadhar Project Shri Singh said that over a period of time it will be of great importance for the banking sector for financial inclusion, direct credit of subsidy etc.