Speaker cautions Bank officers about rise in cyber crimes

Bangalore, July 16 (UNI) Karnataka Legislative Assembly Speaker Krishna has cautioned Bank officers to be cautious while discharging their duties in a computerised environment in the wake of rise in the number of cyber crimes.

Speaking after inaugurating the three-day 23rd Session of General Council of the All India State Bank Officers' Federation here yesterday, Mr Krishna said ''Be careful while discharging your duties in a computerised environment. It is very difficult to trace the culprits who have committed cyber crime. You may be made accountable for the cyber crimes committed by others,'' he added.

He called upon bank managements to strengthen their cyber security systems.

Mr Krishna said that though Agriculture sector and other priority sectors, including Finance to Small Scale Industries (SSIs), were not responsible for decline in Non Performing Assets (NPAs) of the banks, these sectors were replaced by 'other priority sectors' in lending. NPA under the priority sector accounted for 47.5 per cent of total NPA in 2004. Eventhough, this was slightly higher than the share of the sector in total advances (44 per cent), it was by no means disturbingly disproportionate, given the presumption that these were 'weaker' sectors eligible for cross subsidisation.

Urging for a soft corner approach towards Agriculture sector, especially towards small and marginal farmers, Mr Krishna said farmers whose land holdings were less than five acres, artisans, village and cottage industries whose individual credit limit does not exceed Rs 50,000 should be given loans at a concessional interest rate of 4 per cent and the loan applications should be disposed of within 15 days.

He called upon trade unions to change its style of functioning to meet the demand of globalisation and computerisation. ''Any trade union failing to insist on its members constantly of their duties and concentrating only on rights is a weak Union because it has to perish under the weight of its own creation,'' he added.

More than 800 delegates from all parts of the country were patricipating in the meet.

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