BHUBANESWAR: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Wednesday said that all banks have disbursed credit of Rs 1.03 lakh crore and achieved more than 93 per cent of the annual credit plan for 2021-22 despite the pandemic. The Chief Minister addressed a function at the Lok Seva Bhavan where he awarded nine banks for best performance in priority sector lending, particularly in the agriculture, Mission Shakti and MSME sectors.
Stating that the State has fixed an ambitious annual credit target of Rs 1.34 lakh crore in the current financial year keeping in view the higher demand for credit, the Chief Minister hoped that all the districts and banks should strive hard to achieve their respective annual credit targets. The banks should also make efforts for better credit linkage in all the three priority sector areas, he added.
He said that the government accords high priority to safeguarding and protecting the interest of the vulnerable and disadvantaged groups in our State and there is need to support farmers, Mission Shakti group members and MSMEs.
He also asked bankers to focus on increasing the average size of loan for Mission Shakti groups. The State government has recently decided to provide credit support to Mission Shakti groups to the tune of Rs 50 thousand crore in next five years, he added.
In the farm sector lending, Central Bank of India, Balangir Branch received the first prize, Axis Bank, Rayagada, second prize and Axis Bank, Sambalpur received the third prize. Similarly, in lending to small entrepreneurs, Union Bank of India Balangir got the first prize, Bank of India Jayadev Vihar, Bhubaneswar received second prize and Union Bank of India, Talcher received third prize.
In lending to Mission Shakti Groups, State Bank of India Kantabanjhi Balangir got the first prize, SBI Dunguripalli Subarnapur received the second prize and SBI Malkangiri got the third prize.
The Chief Minister awarded Rs 5 lakh to the banks winning first prize, Rs 3 lakh for second prize and Rs 2 lakh for third prize.
Odisha State Cooperative Bank received award for maximum lending in agriculture sector, State Bank of India for maximum lending to MSMEs and Odisha Gramya Bank received award for maximum lending to Mission Shakti Groups. State Bank of India and Indus Ind Bank received award for maximum overall lending to priority sector.