On Thursday the District Panchayat Dr. V.S. Acharya Hall in Manipal hosted the Udupi District Lead Bank Progress Review Meeting, chaired by District Panchayat Chief Executive Officer Prateek Boil. The gathering focused on how banks can extend timely loan facilities to eligible farmers and other beneficiaries, encouraging them to become financially self‑reliant.
Boil urged bank officials to treat farmers, women beneficiaries and other applicants seeking credit under government schemes with courtesy, simplifying procedures so that credit reaches the intended recipients without delay. He also highlighted the Reserve Bank of India directive that mandates the use of only 1600‑series phone numbers for transaction‑related calls, a step aimed at curbing cyber‑fraud. Public awareness campaigns, he said, must inform customers about this rule.
When victims of cyber‑fraud approach banks, staff should respond politely, provide guidance and, where applicable, arrange compensation. Boil stressed that banks must cooperate with police investigations and ensure that legitimate redress is offered under the guidelines.
Regional Manager Tadinad Sreenaga Purnanand of Kenara Bank Regional Office‑1 presented the latest financial snapshot. By the end of June, deposits across 440 district branches totalled Rs 48,715.93 crore, with advance deposits of Rs 24,184.84 crore, resulting in total transactions of Rs 72,900.77 crore. The deposit‑to‑credit ratio stood at 49.64%, well below the RBI‑prescribed minimum of 60%.
The bank has set an annual credit target of Rs 18,532.26 crore for priority and non‑priority sectors combined. To date, Rs 7,302.87 crore has been disbursed, achieving 39.41% of the goal. Sector‑wise performance shows agriculture at 34.45% of its Rs 4,801.25‑crore target, MSME at 51.48% of Rs 4,192.82 crore, education at 16.95% of Rs 231.82 crore, housing at 26.32% of Rs 264.54 crore, other sectors at 49.92% of Rs 373.47 crore, and non‑priority sectors at 36.86% of Rs 8,668.37 crore.
Attendees included District Lead Bank Manager Harish, RBI AGM Nisha Thakur, SCDIC Bank Assistant General Manager Rajesh Shetty, along with various district officials and bank heads. Thakur also explained that victims of small e‑banking frauds may receive a one‑time compensation of 85% of the verified loss or Rs 25,000, whichever is lower, provided the case is lodged through the national cyber‑crime portal.
Image for illustration purposes only
📰 Source: Kundapra