CM calls PSBs to extend credit facilities to SCST, education

Hyderabad, May 7 (UNI) Andhra Pradesh Cheif Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy called upon the Public Sector Banks (PSBs) to extend more credit facilities for the small entreprenuers of Scheduled Castes and Schedled Tribes (SCST) communities and and for education.

Launching the State's annual credit plan (ACP) for 2008-09 at the State Level Bankers Committee (SLBC) meeitng here today, he said the banks were not providing enough loans for the SCST entreprenuers for want of collateral security as the banks had some limitations.

Stating that the government would give guarantee for the loans taken by the SCST small entreprenuers, he said it was the responsibility of the government and the banks to work for their upliftment. He directed the Industries Department Secretary to chalkout a plan by discussing with the banks that the SCST small entrepreneurs would get loans.

The Chief Minister also asked the banks to extend more loans for the students seeking professional courses. ''If necessary, the banks should open a temporary branch at all the colleges at the time of admissions into the colleges and provide loans to all the students for the professional courses,'' he added.

Dr Reddy said the State government would assure that the repayment of loans taken by the members of the SHGs would be cent per cent from this year as it had touched 99 per cent last year.

While complimenting the banks for achieving the targets last year, he said the State government was preparing a software to monitor the repayment of loans taken by the SHGs and also loans extended by the banks.

The SLBC President and Andhra Bank CMD, K Ramakrishan said that the achievement under ACP for 2007-08 was 101.84 per cent of the target. As against the target of Rs 42,000 crores the state could achieve Rs 42,773 crore and the state had been making rapid strides towards all round development with special emphasis on agriculture, rural and urban development, he added.

He said the ACP outlay for 2008-09 was Rs 47,000 crore and the plan outlay was projected with an increase of Rs 4,227 crore over achievement.

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