India would look at Telangana in wonder, says Bhatti

Hyderabad:Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka on Monday asked bankers to have long-term plans for Telangana, which is expected to witness extensive development and welfare programmes in the coming days in tune with the motto of Telangana Rising.

During a meeting with the state level bankers committee (SLBC) at Praja Bhavan, Bhatti said that the country would look at Telangana in wonder because of the government’s developmental agenda. “The government has taken up the Musi River Rejuvenation programme as a prestigious project. Largescale constructions are being taken up for the skill, and sports universities and pharma companies.”

Bhatti said that the bankers should have long-term plans in tune with the motto of Telangana Rising. He said permissions were secured for the construction of Regional Ring Road (RRR) and tenders will be invited soon.

He asked bankers to speed up release of agricultural loans. “If loans are not sanctioned to farmers in time, they will not give any benefit.”

“While the target for 2024 Kharif season was `54,480 crore, only `44,438 crore were released, meeting 81.57 per cent of the target. As there is still one month time for Rabi season loans, they should be speeded up,” he said.

SBI general manager Prakash Chandra Baror, SLBC convener, said banks had covered 174.71 lakh customers under PM Suraksha Beema Yojana and 78.61 lakh customers under PM Jeevan Jyothi Beema Yojana. He said that 20.55 lakh customers had subscribed for Atal Pension Yojana.

Noting that the bankers were backbone for the economic development of any state, Bhatti complimented them for playing a key role in the economic growth.

Bhatti also observed that while repayment to banks increased, the sanction of loans has decreased, which is not normal. “The state government credited `21,000 crore to the banks in a span of two months under the loan waiver scheme for farmers. No where in the history of bankers, such a decision was taken by a state government,” he pointed out.

The state government is granting `20,000 crore interest-free loans every year with an objective to encourage women to become entrepreneurs and it is the objective of the people's government to make one crore women crorepatis in the next five years.

The government has signed an MoU with self-help groups (SHGs) for the generation of 1,000 megawatt solar power and the government set a target for generating 4,000 MW solar power generation. “The generation of green energy is being given importance throughout the country and keeping this in view, the bankers should provide capital for green power,” he said.