Jagan asks bankers to support govt schemes, programmes

‘A.P. registered a growth of 13.7% in the first half of the current fiscal’

Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy has urged bankers to extend their support to the State government in its endeavour to tide over the COVID pandemic and its plans to bring in revolutionary changes in education, health, women empowerment and other sectors.

He wanted the banks to extend loans to the tune of ₹9,000 crore for setting up teaching and nursing colleges in the State. Mr. Jagan said that the 2.70 lakh volunteers force would help the bankers in bringing down their non-performing assets (NPAs).

Addressing the 217th State Level Bankers Committee (SLBC) meeting on Tuesday, he said Andhra Pradesh registered a growth of 13.7% during the first half of the current financial year. But, the State economy was slowing down due to propaganda on third wave and Omicron. Else, the economy would have bounced back much faster. At this juncture, the banks had to chip in and make plans to bolster the economy and development of the State. They were expected to chalk out their priorities and plans in accordance with the State needs, he said.

Mr. Jagan said the government was bringing in structural changes in the primary health sector. The government was promoting the family doctor concept. Also, many revolutionary changes were being made in the medical and health sector for which ₹12,243 crore was required. The government planned to set up 16 medical and 16 nursing colleges across the State, he said.

Credit plan

Referring to the annual credit plan, Mr. Jagan congratulated the bankers for the achievements during the first half of the financial year. The total outlay was ₹2,83,380 crore, of which, 60.53% — ₹1,71,520 crore — was disbursed in the first six months of the current fiscal. Similarly, the annual credit target for priority sectors was ₹2,13,560 crore, of which 47.29% (₹1,00,990 crore), was disbursed during the first half of the financial year, he said.

The Chief Minister urged the bankers to focus on disbursing agriculture term loans and providing Kisan Credit Cards to farmers who didn't receive them yet. Tenant farmers should get loans and banking services need to be started in 4,240 Rythu Bharosa Kendras (RBKs), he said, and urged the bankers to complete the process very soon.

Referring to housing, Mr. Jagan urged the bankers to provide ₹35,000 as loan at 3% interest to women for the housing scheme and also added to focus on providing loans for TIDCO houses. There were 8.3 lakh accounts related to MSMEs of which 1.78 lakh accounts were restructured, he said and urged the banks to support MSMEs for one-time restructuring of their loan accounts.

Stating that there are 9.1 lakh beneficiaries under Jagananna Thodu scheme, Mr. Jagan requested the banks to complete the processing of the applications at the earliest.