Telling nationalised banks they are “not in sync” with government schemes, Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani on Thursday said the state slipped to seventh place in Prad-han Mantri SVANidhi (PM Street Vendor’s AtmaNirbhar Nidhi) scheme because banks failed to disburse loans.

Addressing a gathering of bankers and NABARD officials for unveiling state focus paper for the year 2021-22, Rupani said, “I expect that both NABARD and banks join the government schemes. Banks should help even individual beneficiaries get loans quickly. A person approaches a nationalised bank with some hope. Banks should fulfil the person’s need. But unfortunately it does not happen. I have figures for Pradhan Mantri SVANidhi (PM Street Vendor’s AtmaNirbhar Nidhi). Under this scheme, just Rs 10,000 of loan (collateral free) had to be given to small businesses during Covid period. In Gujarat there were 2.16 lakh applicants and disbursement happened in only 94,000 cases.”

“What are the banks doing? It is the responsibility of the banks to give loans to small businesses. It is a Government of India scheme. Why should lakhs of applications remain pending in your banks? Disbursements should happen quickly. Gujarat was in third position and as you guys (banks) failed to disburse loans, Gujarat fell to seventh position,” he said where regional director of Reserve Bank of India, RK Panigrahy, and chief general manager of NABARD, DK Mishra, was present.

Rupani added that in Uttar Pradesh, 4.9 lakh people got these loans, in Madhya Pradesh and Telangana more than 3 lakh people got loans, while just 94,000 got loans in Gujarat.

“Aa taal madto nathi aapno. Taal medava maate, Yojano na Sathe, banko ne daudvu pade. Banko ye jhadap thi nirnay karwa pade. Badhu head office ma mokalvu ne karvu hoy? Maathe levu pade ane jhadap thi nirnayo karwa pade (Our steps do not sync. To ensure that the steps sync, banks should move alongside the schemes and they have to decide quickly. What is the point in sending everything to the head office. You have take responsibility and decide,” he said in Gujarati.

The chief minister also pointed out how nationalised banks have not come forward even with regard to welfare schemes rolled out by the Gujarat government during the Covid pandemic. “Gujarat government has also introduced a lot of schemes… We made a scheme to make 10 lakh women self employed. Rs 1,000 crore loans were to be given away at zero interest. Banks are not giving loans… We had made such an arrangement where banks would not lose a single rupee… Dduring Covid, it was the cooperative banks hat came forward because those elected by the people are at the helm,” he said while talking about “Chief Minister Women Upliftment Scheme.”

Giving another example, Rupani said, “Under Atmanirbhar Gujarat package, Rs 2,500 crore loans were given at two per cent interest. Government has absorbed 6 per cent interest. Banks are safe. This situation needs to change.”
Horticulture mission.

Talking about the new scheme were an attempt is being made to irrigate 50,000 acres of wasteland in five districts, Rupani said, “We were scared to launch this scheme… we thought only a few would be interested as this scheme requires crores of investments. I have received 8,000 applications.”