RBI/2004/23

RPCD. Plan. BC. 62 /04.09.41/2003-04

The Chairman / Managing Director

Chief Executive Officer

(All Domestic Scheduled Commercial Banks)

Dear Sir/ Madam,

Data on Priority Sector Advances – Agricultural Lending

Please refer to our letter RPCD.Stat.BC.No. 40/11.01.01/2002-03 dated October 31, 2002 advising you to submit the return on Priority Sector Advances on annual basis as on the last reporting Friday of March and discontinue the submission of the return for the period ending September effective from the period ended September 2002.

The Reserve Bank has been reviewing the performance of the banks in lending to agriculture and has been emphasizing the need for taking appropriate steps for achieving the target so as to ensure increased flow of credit to the agricultural sector in a time bound manner. It is however, observed that in the case of many banks, advances to agriculture as percentage of Net Bank Credit has been low. The low percentage of lending to agriculture has been viewed seriously by the Standing Committee on Finance of the Parliament.

Accordingly, to effectively monitor the agricultural lending by the banks, you are advised to furnish data on priority sector lending (hard copy) on a quarterly basis (as on the last reporting Friday of each quarter) to Rural Planning and Credit Department, Central Office in the enclosed format within a fortnight from the end of the particular quarter. The data for the quarter ended December 2003 (as on the last reporting Friday) may be forwarded to us immediately.

However, public sector and private sector banks shall continue to submit the sector-wise provisional data on priority sector advances on half-yearly basis as on the last reporting Friday of March and September every year in the prescribed format.

Yours faithfully,

(Varughese John)

Chief General Manager

Encl: As above.

STATEMENT ON PRIORITY SECTOR ADVANCES BY PUBLIC/PRIVATE SECTOR BANKS AS ON LAST REPORTING FRIDAY OF QUARTER (MARCH/JUNE/SEPTEMBER/DECEMBER)

 

NAME OF THE BANK:

(AMOUNT IN RS. CRORE)

Amount Outstanding

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1. Net Bank Credit:
2. Total Priority Sector Advances:
3. Total Agricultural Credit:

1. Direct agricultural credit:
2. Indirect agricultural credit:

4. Advances to Weaker Sections: