BHUBANESWAR: As people struggle to cope with crisis situation and cash crunch in the areas severely battered by cyclone Fani, Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan urged Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley to direct commercial banks operating in the State to expedite measures for extending mobile banking services in the affected areas.
Writing to Jaitley after reviewing banking operation in cyclone hit areas with local heads of commercial banks and representatives of RBI, Pradhan said he has requested bankers to activate banking correspondents and common service centres and ensure delivery of cash through POS (point of sale) devices in adequate numbers in the affected areas mostly in Bhubaneswar and Puri to meet the cash and other financial requirements of the people.
With the RBI assuring banks to transfer adequate cash to currency chests in cyclone affected districts, Pradhan said he advised the bankers to follow SBI model of dispensing with cash upto `2000 to savings bank account holders on production of pass books. Such a move will bring the much needed relief to the people who are going cashless after the calamity.
“I have advised banks and RBI to set up a control room so as to monitor the situation which will help in resolving issues in a coordinated manner,” the letter said.
Noting that the hotel and tourism industries in Puri has collapsed, Pradhan said the hotel industry is in dire need of financial hand holding. He requested Jaitly to directed the banks to work out a special scheme with beneficial interest rates for helping the hospitality sector.
With banking operation coming to halt after the cyclonic storm crippled power supply, telecommunication and internet services, the Union Minister requested banks to operate their branches by using power generators. He assured that oil marketing companies will ensure supply of fuel for their DG sets. Chairing a meeting of bankers here, Pradhan drew the attention of the bankers to the loan requirements of small businessmen, small and marginal farmers.
Since a special meeting of State Level Bankers’ Committee (SLBC) has been convened on May 10 to chalk out a plan for providing relief to the cyclone affected persons, he urged the bankers to restructure repayment of term loans in consultation with RBI and the state government.
“I have urged all members to work out restructuring of payment terms of existing loan and also come up with financial package for priority sector lending and revival of the devastated hotel and tourism industry,” Pradhan tweeted. While suggesting all banks to expedite settling of insurance claims, he urged the bankers to work out measures for the economic reconstruction of Puri and other affected areas.