The Hindu Business Line : Minister reviews progress of debt waiver scheme in Bengal

Kolkata, June 11 The Union Information Minister, Mr Priya Ranjan Dasmunsi, here on Wednesday reviewed the progress of the debt waiver scheme in West Bengal. The meeting was organised by the United Bank of India as the convenor of the State Level Bankers’ Committee. The Executive Directors of three Kolkata-headquartered banks, namely, Mr T.M. Bhasin of United Bank, Mr J.P. Dua of Allahabad Bank and Mr V.K. Dhingra of UCO Bank, and senior officials of other banks were present.

The Minister wanted to know in particular if there was any impediment to the smooth implementation scheme, expressing concern that in some areas touts were already active to hoodwink genuine beneficiaries.

The bankers assured him that all steps would be taken to stop any such thing.

The early release of the list of the prospective beneficiaries was critical, the Minister said and suggested that MPs of the area concerned should also be posted of it. He was told that the banks would publish the first lists soon and the audited lists latest by June 30.

He also inquired about the role of nodal agency for monitoring the progress of the implementation of the scheme and was told that Nabard was the nodal agency for regional rural banks and cooperative credit institutions and the RBI for public sector banks.

List of beneficiaries

Meanwhile, Oriental Bank of Commerce has decided to publish the list of the beneficiaries in all its rural branches in Kolkata, Durgapur and Bhubaneswar regions by June 25.

The decision was taken at a meeting held here recently and attended by a large number of officers from these regions.

“At the initiative personally spearheaded by our CMD, Mr Alok Mishra, all 29 regional offices of the bank are now concentrating on expeditious implementation of the debt waiver scheme,” Mr R.M. Sharma, General Manager of OBC in eastern region told Business Line here on Wednesday.

Mr S.K. Goel, CMD of UCO Bank, recently visited several branches in North 24 Paraganas district and explained to more than 300 borrowers of the crop and agriculture loans the scope of the debt waiver scheme.

The list of the beneficiaries would be published within this month itself, he said, pointing out that they would be eligible for fresh loans after the waiver.

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