Banks attitude unsatisfactory in Bihar-Modi

Patna, Mar 17 (UNI) Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi today said the government would not deposit money in the banks which failed to achieve the kisan credit cards distribution targets.

Replying to a short notice question of LJP member Maheshwar Prasad Singh in the Assembly, Mr Modi said against a target of distributing 6.88 lakh kisan credi cards in 2007-08, only 3,10,702 applications had been approved by the banks till December 2007.

He said the government had fixed a target of cent per cent distribution of kisan credit cards in Rohtas, Gaya, Purnia, Khagaria, Madhubani, Bhagalpur, West Champaran and Samastipur districts in 2008-09.

Mr Modi said the banks' performance would be reviewed in April and the government would not deposit its money in banks which failed to achieve the targets.

He said the bankers were requested on several occasions to improve their performance adopting positive attitude.

''The performance of banks in loan distribution is also poor as it is on an average distributing only Rs ten thousand loan among the farmers who should have been given up to Rs three lakhs,'' he said.

Mr Modi said the banks were not in direct control of the state government and admitted about complaints regarding commission taken by the touts to make kisan credit cards.

He said the government had earmarked Rs 72 lakh in its third supplimentary for strengthening rural banks. Similarly, the cooperative banks would also be strengthened as per the recommendations of the Baidyanathan committee.

UNI RS PL DB1702