STATE TIMES NEWS
JAMMU: The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) has expressed concern over failure of banks to achieve their target under priority sector lending (PSL), which fell to 56 per cent in the state in 2013-14.
“The banks have achieved 56 per cent of the target under priority sector lending at the end of March 2014 against 81 per cent achievement under this sector as on corresponding period of the previous year, which is a matter of concern,” Chief General Manager (CGM), NABARD, J&K, Shanker A Pande said in a report titled ‘State Focus Paper’ here.
The report further said the credit ratio in the state stood at 44.58 per cent during the period as against 36.50 per cent a year ago, an increase of 8.08 per cent.
Though the ratio has improved over the previous year, it continues to be below the national benchmark of 60 per cent.
Jammu and Kashmir registered a growth of 12 per cent in bank deposits at Rs 72,214.22 crore in the period under review.
Pande further said loans and advances outstanding in the state came in at Rs 32,196.43 crore as of March 31, 2014, which have grown 36.75 per cent over the previous year.
As of September 30, 2014, the state has a network of 45 banks with 1,893 branches, which includes 23 public sector banks (449), 10 private lenders (820), 2 RRBs (349) and 10 cooperative banks (261), the report said.
Population served under each branch varies between 4,000 to 14,000.
The central government has approved a revival package of three unlicensed district central cooperative banks involving a capital infusion of Rs 278.04 crore, it said.
