Date:11/02/2005 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2005/02/11/stories/2005021103470500.htm

Andhra Pradesh

Bankers pledge to bring SCs above poverty line

By Our Staff Reporter

HYDERABAD, FEB. 10. A State-Level Bankers Committee (SLBC) meeting convened by the National Commission for Scheduled Castes here on Thursday saw representatives of banks and the State Government officials pledging to bring SCs above the poverty line.

A significant point at the meeting was that the NCSC should recommend to the Government to raise the lending limit the SCs, without collateral security, to Rs. 1 lakh from the present

Rs. 25,000.

The NCSC member, V. Devender, who inaugurated the conference, said the plan outlay for SCs during 2004-05 was not up to the mark. Mr. Phoolchand Verma, another member, said there was need to increase the allocation for SC welfare from 10 to 15 per cent under the special component plan. The Chief Secretary, Mohan Kanda, reminded bankers that lending involved risk and appealed to them to treat the demand from SC welfare programmes on equal footing and be generous in sanctioning loans. He urged them to incorporate a degree of flexibility and involve themselves in such programmes.

While the Joint Secretary, NCSC, S.S. Sharma, welcomed the gathering, the Director, NCSC, Vibha Sood, proposed a vote of thanks.