With complaints that banks are reluctant to finance small and medium industries in Udupi district, Zilla Panchayat Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Prateek Bayal on Monday directed them to extend financial assistance to micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) for working capital and other needs.

Chairing a district-level bankers’ committee meeting at Rajatadri in Manipal, Mr. Bayal asked the departments concerned to work towards enhancing the confidence of MSMEs in the district. He said over 15,000 MSMEs were operating in the district, including cashew processing, marine products and ready-to-eat food units. He also said women’s associations seeking financial assistance from banks to undertake self-employment should be given the necessary support.

The CEO said farmers should be given time to register under the weather-based crop insurance programme. If technical problems are found, they should be resolved immediately to ensure insurance coverage.

He said banks play an important role in delivering central and State government schemes to the public, and officials should function properly. Department and bank officials should guide beneficiaries of loan schemes appropriately.

Improve CD ratio

Stating that the credit-deposit ratio in the district was 48.99% last year, against the Reserve Bank of India’s prescribed norm of 60%, he asked banks to extend more loans and facilities to beneficiaries of housing, education, self-employment and government schemes.

Target exceeded

Canara Bank Deputy General Manager and Udupi Regional Head Mahamaya Prasad Roy said banks in the district exceeded the annual credit plan target of ₹15,514.08 crore by lending ₹17,191.28 crore, or 110.81%, in 2025-26 to both priority and non-priority sectors.

Giving sector-wise target achievements, Mr. Roy said ₹4,738.22 crore was disbursed against the target of ₹4,230.28 crore in the agricultural sector, ₹3,709.94 crore against ₹3,712.58 crore in MSME, ₹168.75 crore against ₹187.07 crore in education, ₹270.92 crore against ₹510 crore in the social infrastructure sector, and ₹407.77 crore against ₹395.31 crore in other sectors. In the non-priority sector, ₹7,890.36 crore was disbursed against the target of ₹6,474.31 crore, or 121.87%.

District Lead Bank Manager G. Harish, NABARD Deputy Divisional Manager Sangeetha Kartha, RBI Assistant General Manager Nisha Thakur and others were present.