Gangtok: Union Minister of State for Finance Dr Bhagwad Karad attended the 74th State level Bankers’ Committee Meeting cum Credit Outreach Programme, organised by State Level Banker Committee (SLBC) Sikkim.
Addressing the media after the outreach programme, MoS Finance, on a three-day visit, said, “Sikkim has been doing a good job in the financial sector as the financial literacy in Sikkim is at par with the national level. I reviewed the different bank districts and ATMs here and as per the lakh population, financial literacy is better here in Sikkim. I am positive that Sikkim will do more with the Centre’s guidance.”
The banker’s meeting took place in the presence of RBI, NABARD, the cooperatives, the nationalised and the private banks of Sikkim.
About 100 people also received a loan of Rs 7 cr to 100 people today in Sikkim, and the MoS stated that banks have become people-friendly as there is less hassle for loans these days.
Karad said, “The banks in Sikkim are doing exceptionally well in the financial sector. The urban areas have more bank branches than the rural areas. Rural areas too need bank branches, so I have instructed the concerned bank officers to conduct a survey and approve bank branches in such rural areas.”
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The MoS for Finance directed NABARD General Manager SK Gupta to establish three financial literacy mobile vans, one in the border area and two in aspirational districts of Geyzing and Soreng so that there is more financial literacy in the aspirational districts. He further urged the banks to conduct more financial literacy programmes to spread awareness of the centre’s various financial schemes in Sikkim.
“RSETI scheme of the GOI provides financial literacy training. Sikkim already has one such institute. We have further discussed establishing two more such institutes here, most probably one in the border area and the other in the aspirational district. I have also directed NABARD to conduct more camps for financial literary development here and to provide grants to SHGs so that the SHGs can produce and market their products,” expressed Karad.
The MoS has also directed the concerned banks to conduct Kisan Sammelan for the distribution of Kisan credit cards and conduct rural outreach programmes.
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