State Level Bankers Committee Meeting Held Under the Chairmanship of Chief Secretary Mr. Vikassheel

Raipur, The 102nd and 103rd joint meetings of the State Level Bankers Committee (SLBC) were held in Mantralaya (Mahanadi Bhawan) under the chairmanship of Chief Secretary Mr. Vikassheel. In this meeting, the progress of banking services, credit disbursement, financial inclusion and various schemes of the Central and State Governments in the state during the quarters of March 2026 and June 2026 was reviewed. In the meeting, the Chief Secretary directed the officials and bank representatives to expand the banking network in rural and remote areas and to provide financial assistance promptly in government beneficiary schemes. Give Priority to Public Welfare Schemes The Chief Secretary directed for the speedy disposal of loan applications received under PM Suryaghar Yojana, PM Svanidhi Yojana, PM Awas Yojana and National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM) without any hindrance. He asked the bankers to regularly monitor and review loan cases. Quick KCC Loans for Farmers Special emphasis was given on providing loans to farmers quickly through Kisan Credit Card (KCC). Along with this, the distribution of KCC for animal husbandry and fisheries sectors was also reviewed. The Kisan Credit Card (KCC) scheme provides easy loans to farmers for agriculture, animal husbandry, and fish farming at a very low interest rate (only 4%). The limit of this loan, which is available without any guarantee, has now been increased to 2 lakhs, while the total loan limit has been increased to 5 lakhs. Special Focus on Bastar and Surguja Divisions In view of the limited reach of banking services in the Bastar and Surguja divisions of the state, instructions were given to open new bank branches there and to increase local credit availability. As per the standards of the Financial Services Department, emphasis was placed on providing banking services (branches or BC agents) within a 5-kilometer radius in villages without banking facilities. Annual Credit Plan and Social Security Subjects related to the performance of banks under the annual credit plan for the financial year 2025-26, implementation of social security schemes, activities of Rural Self-Employment Training Institutes (RSETI), meetings of District Consultative Committees, and appointment of financial literacy counselors were reviewed. Representatives from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), NABARD, senior officials of member banks of the State Level Bankers Committee, and high officials from various departments of the state government were present in this meeting.