Maharashtra: Upset with SBI, Yavatmal Collector withdraws accounts of 7 government departments

Angry over the State Bank of India (SBI) not doing enough to disburse kharif crop loan to farmers in the district, Yavatmal Collector Rajesh Deshmukh has withdrawn the accounts of seven government departments in the district from the bank. Confirming the development, Deshmukh told The Indian Express: “The SBI has done poorly in terms of […]

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Angry over the State Bank of India (SBI) not doing enough to disburse kharif crop loan to farmers in the district, Yavatmal Collector Rajesh Deshmukh has withdrawn the accounts of seven government departments in the district from the bank.

Confirming the development, Deshmukh told The Indian Express: “The SBI has done poorly in terms of loan disbursement. It has given only Rs 51 crore so far as against the target of Rs 571 crore despite repeated requests. So using my discretionary power, I have shifted accounts of seven government departments, like disaster relief and planning to Union Bank and Central Bank.”

Deshmukh further said: “The district has a target of Rs 2,078 crore loan disbursement for this kharif season. Of that, the District Central Cooperative Bank will pay Rs 523 crore. It has done reasonably well so far, giving away about 45 per cent of the target. In sharp contrast, the SBI rate is just about 10 per cent.”

Yavatmal district is the hotspot of the farm crisis in Vidarbha with maximum number of suicides generally recorded there. Last year, the district was also in the news for over 40 deaths allegedly due to pesticide inhalation. “I got calls from many farmers after this action that the disbursement has gathered steam now,” Deshmukh said. SBI officials couldn’t be reached for their comments.

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