Urban Development and Co-operation Minister Suresh Bhardwaj said here today that the Co-operative department and Co-operative banks of the state should prepare schemes to provide relief to the general public in the situation arising out of the Corona pandemic.
Suresh Bhardwaj said that Co-operative banks should focus on basic objective of supporting and uplifting the people living in rural areas. He said that Co-operative banks have been implementing various schemes for helping the common people since last one year. He said that for giving relief to the people, cooperative banks have provided loans worth Rs. 450 crores to more than 30,000 people.
The Co-operation Minister directed that the Co-operative Department and the Banks should give wide publicity to various schemes so that the necessary information could be provided to the people. He said that farmers, horticulturists, and small traders have been affected due to pandemic. In view of the current situation, banks should come forward to provide credit facilities to maximum people.
Suresh Bhardwaj said that all banks should analyze and implement schemes run by each other. He said that various schemes were being run for Animal Husbandry, self-employment credit, street vendors, in which banks have done a commendable job. He said that the Himachal Pradesh State Co-operative Bank has allocated loans worth Rs. 340 crores to about 10,000 people during the Corona pandemic. He said that 3655 cases have been passed by the State Co-operative Bank from 1st April, 2021 with an allocation of Rs. 152 crores.
Secretary Co-operation Akshay Sood, Registrar Co-operative Societies Rajesh Sharma, MD HP State Co-operative Bank Pankaj Lalit, MD Jogindra Central Co-operative Bank Tashi Sandoop and MD Kangra Central Co-operative Bank Vinay Kumar were also present on this occasion.