The district level review committee of banks was held on Saturday here under the chairmanship of the district Collector.
Besides MP RK Jena, Collector Pramod Das, bankers, representatives of Nabard and RBI and district level officials were present.
During the review, it was learnt that the banks’ performance in terms of giving loan for education was dismal.
In the last fiscal year 2015-16, the banks of the district had disbursed loan of only 18 per cent against the target `67 crore.
In the last year while only `12 crore was disbursed, the SBI contribution was as low as 5 per cent, it was learnt during the review.
Baleswar is one of most literate districts with over 83 per cent literacy rate, yet the education loan disbursement was quite unsatisfactory, it was observed.
During meeting a student pursuing course in a Government engineering college explained his hardship. He said that his father and mother were working in Chennai and he too earned some amount through private tuition. Yet, the amount was not sufficient to continue education. However, while he approached several banks for study loan, yet even after lapse of several months all he got was only assurances.
The MP and the district Collector placed the glaring examples before the bankers which reflected how the people run from pillar to post to avail loan.
Similarly, while reviewing the crop insurance position of the district, none of the bank was having the figure and list of the beneficiaries. It was not also known whether the beneficiaries of crop insurance were loanees or non loanees.
“Several Government welfare schemes, including education loan facilities, exist yet they are not extended to the genuine and desired persons. If the banks do not cooperate the schemes can’t be fruitful. They should demonstrate their attitude and instill faith. It should percolate down and reach to the beneficiaries, for whom they are intended so that people will have faith on the system and welfare schemes,” said Jena.