Bhubaneswar: The 179th State Level Bankers’ Committee (SLBC) meeting, along with a Special SLBC on Financial Inclusion and Financial Literacy, was held on Friday in Bhubaneswar.
The high-level meeting brought together key stakeholders from the banking sector, Reserve Bank of India (RBI), NABARD, and senior officials from both the State and Central Governments.
Development Commissioner-cum-Additional Chief Secretary Anu Garg, in her inaugural address, stressed the importance of achieving the Annual Credit Plan (ACP) target of ₹2.52 lakh crore for the financial year 2025–26.
“As Odisha moves towards its Vision 2036, ensuring timely and adequate credit across all regions and segments—particularly women, SC/ST communities, and weaker sections—is critical,” she noted.
Garg also urged banks to extend their full support to the recently launched Financial Assistance to Cold Storage scheme. The initiative, which initially covers all 58 sub-divisions of the state, aims to bolster the storage ecosystem, minimize post-harvest losses, and prevent distress sales by farmers.
VN Kamble, Executive Director of UCO Bank, commended banks for achieving 100% of the agricultural credit target but raised concerns over the underperformance in the MSME sector. “While agriculture lending has been exemplary, MSME credit disbursement needs immediate attention,” he stated.
Dr. Arabinda Kumar Padhee, Principal Secretary of the Agriculture & Farmers’ Empowerment Department, lauded banks for their swift participation in the cold storage financing scheme.
He encouraged further support for entrepreneurship in agriculture and allied sectors.
Saswata Mishra, Principal Secretary, Finance Department, called for improved engagement by private banks in government-sponsored schemes such as PMEGP, PMFME, and PMSVANidhi. He also urged the timely settlement of insurance claims under the PMJJBY and PMSBY schemes to enhance beneficiary trust and efficiency.
RBI’s Regional Director in Bhubaneswar, Sarada Prasan Mohanty, praised the efforts of Lead District Managers (LDMs) for organizing Town Hall meetings to address MSME-related grievances at the grassroots level.
Also present at the meeting were Usha Padhee, Principal Secretary, Commerce & Transport Department; Suresh Kumar Vashishth, Principal Secretary, Fisheries & ARD Department; along with the SLBC Convenor, senior functionaries from NABARD, RBI, and Regional Controlling Heads of all banks.
