Union Minister of Finance and Corporate Affairs Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman today chaired Credit outreach programme, in Darbhanga, Bihar. Shri Chirag Paswan, Union Minister of Food Processing Industries, Government of India and Shri Samrat Choudhary, Deputy Chief Minister of Bihar also participated in the programme.
The programme was also attended by MPs Shri Gopal Jee Thakur, Dr. Dharmshila Gupta, Shri Sanjay Kumar Jha; Dr. Ashok Kumar Yadav and Shri K.V. Shaiji, Chairman NABARD; Shri M.V. Rao, MD, Central Bank of India; Shri Manoj Mittal, CMD, SIDBI; Shri M.P. Tangirala, Additional Secretary, DFS; and Shri Surinder Rana, Deputy Managing Director, SBI.
Shri M. Nagaraju, Secretary, Department of Financial Services (DFS) and MD of Central Bank of India detailed the efforts made by banks under financial inclusion initiatives in the district. Smt. Sitharaman along with other dignitaries also visited around 25 stalls that displayed various local products and handicrafts of entrepreneurs financed by Banks and NABARD.
During the credit outreach programme, loans for Rs. 1,388 crore were given to 49,137 beneficiaries by various banks. The Union Finance Minister also distributed five copies of Constitution each in Maithili and Sanskrit to distinguished citizens.
Smt. Sitharaman also flagged off an ambulance and provided tricycles to disabled persons under CSR activities. NABARD announced sanction of more than Rs. 74 crore for various rural road projects. Banks and SIDBI also sanctioned assistance under CSR activities for betterment of infrastructure in schools specially schools meant for girls.
Shri Chirag Paswan thanked the Union Finance Minister for visiting to Darbhanga and Shri Samrat Choudhary praised the efforts being undertaken by the Prime Minister and Union Finance Minister for economic development of the area.
During the event, Smt. Sitharaman also inaugurated five branches of State Bank of India and 25 BC Maxx Centres of Central Bank of India.