Banks of the state should come forward for the development of Tripura's tourism sector: Chief Minister Dr. Manik Saha

By Our Correspondent

Agartala, August 5, 2022

Tourism industry has a bright potential in the economic development of the state. Therefore, the banks of the state should come forward for the development of the tourism sector. Banks also need to be aware of all the priority areas that the state government is working on. Only then can the banks take concrete plans for the economic development of the state. Chief Minister Professor (Dr) Manik Saha said this at the meeting of the 14th State Level Bankers Committee in the meeting room of the Secretariat yesterday. The meeting reviewed the progress of the decisions taken on various issues in the last State Level Bankers Committee meeting.

In the meeting, Punjab National Bank DGM Anand Kumar while discussing the detailed program of the State Level Bankers Committee said that in the annual credit plan for the financial year 2022-23, the banks have taken a target of 100 percent disbursement in each sector including the primary sector. Banks have disbursed Rs 1131.36 crore for agriculture, micro, small and medium industries and other primary sectors till June of the current financial year. Banks have disbursed a total of Rs 77 crore 72 lakh loans to 12 thousand 170 KCC card holder farmers till June of 2022-23 financial year.

DGM Anand Kumar also said that a total of Rs 2 crore 10 lakh 96 thousand loans have been given to 21 SC and ST women beneficiaries till June of 2022-23 financial year. Under the Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana, loans of Rs 228.82 crore have been disbursed to 38 thousand 21 bank account holders till June of the current financial year. So far 8 lakh 99 thousand 880 people have opened bank accounts under Pradhan Mantri Jandhan Yojana. Out of this, 7 lakh 14 thousand 83 bank accounts were opened in rural areas and 1 lakh 85 thousand 797 bank accounts were opened in urban areas.

In this context, Chief Minister Dr. Saha said there is a great opportunity for unemployed youth to become financially independent by taking loans under Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana and Start Up India Yojana. So banks have to play a positive role to provide more loans in these two schemes. In the meeting, Punjab National Bank DGM Anand Kumar said that till June of the current financial year, 93 students have been granted educational loans. 1,165 home loans have been sanctioned under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana till June of FY 2022-23.

DGM Anand Kumar also said that various banks have sanctioned 98 proposed loans for mini dairy projects till June of 2022-23 financial year. The meeting also discussed issues such as opening of new bank branches, assistance in tourism development, giving importance to lending to self-help groups, providing loans to self-reliance and Prime Minister's Employment Generation Program, setting up ATMs in every block area of the state, etc.

Chief Secretary JK Sinha emphasized in the meeting on making the banks to collect more loans. The chief secretary assured that the state government would also provide necessary cooperation in this regard.

In the 140th meeting of the State Level Bankers Committee besides Chief Minister Dr Manik Saha and Chief secretary JK Sinha, Finance Secretary Brijesh Pandey, Revenue Secretary Punit Aggarwal, Tourism Department Secretary Kiran Gitte, Cooperative Department Secretary Abhishek Singh, Rural Development Department Special Secretary Sandeep R Rathore, Punjab National Bank Chief Executive Officer Atul Kumar Goyel, Punjab National Bank General Manager Sakshi Gopal Saha, Agartala Reserve Bank Branch General Manager S Singh Sahato and representatives of various banks under the purview of SLBC Committee and officials of various departments were present.