Andhra Pradesh - Khammam   

Lend willingly, avert suicide, banks told

Staff reporter

KHAMMAM: : A generous stand taken by the bankers in sanction of loans could help prevent farmers' suicides, said the Collector Rajendra Narendra Nimje on Wednesday. Addressing a meeting of the district-level bankers consultative committee here, he said that the farmers caught in the pincer grips of the money lenders were ending their lives in a tragic way after finding it difficult to pay back. He asked the bankers to help the peasant community by extending short-term loans or mortgage loans. He cautioned them against insisting on `pahanis' for every case.

The pahanis, if needed, could be sought only from doubtful cases and problematic defaulters. Those who merit the banks' assistance should be extended help on time. The Collector wanted the bankers to disburse the crop loans latest by August 15 next. The credit plan commitment for the crop loans was Rs. 320 crores. The State Bank, The Andhra Bank and the Nagarjuna Grameena Bank were able to share the burden in a big way. Though the progress was good, it needed further improvement, he said.

At least 25 per cent of the loans should be earmarked for the tribals, he said and asked the bankers to give the administration proper feedback on the fresh loans.

The Sathupalli MLA, Jalagam Venkata Rao pointed out that there was a yawning gap between words and deeds so far as the sanction of bank loans was concerned for various Government sponsored programmes.

The beneficiaries of the urban permanent housing, Rajiv Gruhakalpa, PMRY and Rajiv Yuva Shakti had undergone more or less the same experience, he said.

The Khammam MLA Thammineni Veerabhadram, and others were present.

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