Though less than three months are to go for the end of the financial year 2012-13, it is reliably learnt that out of Rs.4,000 crore of bank loans to be disbursed in the district to about 5.3 lakh beneficiaries in the priority sector covering agriculture, agri-based fields such as dairy, poultry, fisheries, silk/mulberry plantation, industries, small and medium business, self-help groups, etc., barely around Rs.1,842 crore could be disbursed as loans covering 1.78 lakh beneficiaries till January 5, 2013.
In terms of percentage, the target achieved is only 42.6 per cent, which eventually leaves a big question mark whether the banks and the departments concerned could cover the remaining 51.4 per cent of the beneficiaries in the less than three months left in the current fiscal.
Sources attributed the short-fall in the target achievement to an alleged lack of sustained efforts and coordination among various stake-holders, viz; the banks and the government departments which are to finalise the sub-plans, identify the beneficiaries, complete the documentation work, ensure an expeditious disbursement of the loans and so on. It is said that the government also had to send reminders at least twice to the district administration to rush its proposals for finalisation.
Another ‘reasonable’ reason being attributed for the short-fall in the target achievement is the government’s decision to conduct the prestigious World Telugu Conference at Tirupati (completed between December 27-29), which in its wake had nonetheless made the core of the Chittoor district administration completely shift its attention to the successful completion of the mega event on a ‘priority basis’, putting aside all other works.
A senior official, however, expressed optimism over the district administration doing its best to fill gap before the end of the financial year and said that all the Heads of Departments were being asked to pull their socks to achieve the target.
