The disbursement of only 15 percent loans under various popular schemes against the given target fixed by the bankers in the first quarter of the current fiscal has come as a cause of concern for the district administration of Nainital.

The district administration Nainital has set a target before different banks to distribute Rs 41,389.09 lakh as loan among the needy in the agriculture sector. But only an amount of Rs 8,368.78 lakh has been distributed in this sector in the first quarter of the current fiscal year, as the officials concerned of the Nainital district administration said.

Similarly, only Rs 5684.60 lakh has been distributed in the industrial sector as loan against a target of Rs 35075.93 lakh in the first quarter of the current financial year. Besides, the bankers have been able to distribute only Rs 6321.13 lakh as loan against a target of Rs 58,864.37 lakh in the service and occupation sector during the same period.

Thus, out of a total Rs 135329.39 lakh, bankers have become able to disburse only 15 percent of the said amount i.e. only Rs 20374. 52 lakh among many sectors in first quarter of the current fiscal, said the district administration Nainital.

Expressing concern over the poor pace of distribution of loans, l M Rayal, CDO, Nainital, has asked the bankers to ensure speedy clearance of loans under various Government- run schemes so that the people could be benefitted with these schemes.

Assuring the bankers that the district administration would cooperate with them in recovery of loans, he also asked the bankers to take up the loan recovery matters with the respective SDMs and tehsildars too for timely recovery. Agriculture is one of the critical sectors for Uttarakhand's Nainital district being the mainstay of the economy for a majority of the people.

Therefore, keeping in view agriculture as the main occupation of the people of Nainital district, the bankers have been asked to pay special attention to the agriculture sector and related occupation.

Besides, the bankers have also been asked to clear loans under popular schemes like National Rural livelihood Mission, Self Employment Scheme, Kishan Credit Card and Veer Chandra Garhwali Scheme, to name a few popular schemes, on priority basis, said the officials concerned of the Nainital district administration, stressing the need to ensure timely disbursal of loans among different sectors with main focus on the agriculture sector.