October 17, 2006

The Chief Executive Officers of
All Primary (Urban) Co-operative Banks

Dear Sir/ Madam,

Please refer to our Circular UBD.CO.BPD. No. 52/ 09.09.001/ 2002-03 dated June 13, 2003. In this connection, Government of India have recently finalised a new 'Prime Minister's 15- Point Programme for the Welfare of Minorities'. An important objective of the aforesaid Programme is to ensure that an appropriate percentage of the priority sector lending is targeted for the minority communities and that the benefits of various Government sponsored schemes reach the under-privileged, which includes the disadvantaged sections of the minority communities. You may, therefore, issue necessary instructions to your branches advising them to ensure that within the overall target for priority sector lending and the sub- target of 25 per cent for the weaker sections, sufficient care is taken to ensure that the minority communities also receive an equitable portion of the credit.

2. Please acknowledge receipt to the Regional Office concerned of RBI.

Yours faithfully,

( N. S. Vishwanathan)
Chief General Manager-in-Charge