ONGOLE: Andhra Pragathi Grameena Bank in keen on according priority to self-help groups in lending and the bank is ready to lend any amount to the groups with good track record, according to its chairman M. Obulesu.

Addressing a meeting got up here on Thursday for loan disbursement, he said the bank extended Rs. 188 crores to 39,445 groups in five districts till now. He distributed Rs. 3 crores towards credit linkage to 357 groups.

Dairy units

Saying that cooperative dairy was importing milk from Karnataka for conversion to milk powder, he felt there was a good scope for sanctioning more dairy loans to women to increase local production.

He also exhorted women to take up other trades also after undergoing the necessary training to improve their income.

He said the bank was prepared to sanction even Rs. 10 lakhs to each group with good track record. As the government was meeting the interest collected in excess of 25 paise, the bank was refunding the excess amount to the groups. He said that the benefit should go to the members who had availed loans and repaid them promptly. He asked the groups to give up the habit of distributing the amount among all members equally.

The bank also agreed to sanction a loan of Rs. 10,000 each to the group members for construction of houses under Indiramma housing programme at 25 paise interest and repayable in five years.

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