The District Co-operative Central Bank (DCCB) Ltd., Visakhapatnam, reported a strong financial performance for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2026, driven by a diversified lending approach and improved asset quality.

In an exclusive interview with The Hindu on Tuesday (June 2, 2026), K. Tata Rao, who assumed charge as the Person-in-Charge (Chairman) of the bank on June 2, 2025, attributed the success to the institution’s commitment to financial inclusion and digital expansion.

“We have seen a robust growth of 18.74% in our total business, which rose to ₹2,849.78 crore,” Mr. Tata Rao said. “More importantly, our net profit surged by 82.65%, reaching ₹3.58 crore, reflecting our focused efforts on prudent credit management and operational efficiency.” Looking ahead, he expressed optimism about the bank’s momentum, setting a clear present financial target of reaching ₹3,500 crore in total business.

A standout feature in the bank’s performance has been the significant improvement in asset quality. The Gross Non-Performing Assets (NPA) amount declined by 10.43% to ₹49.81 crore, with the Gross NPA ratio improving from 3.94% to 2.92%.

Mr. Tata highlighted that the bank’s loan portfolio expanded by 20.68% to ₹1,704.56 crore. “Our strategy to diversify lending has paid off, with gold loans witnessing an exceptional growth of 39.55%, and Self Help Group (SHG) financing rising by 29.02%,” he noted.

To bridge the banking gap, especially in rural and agency areas, the bank has aggressively pushed its digital infrastructure. Currently, the institution operates 32 branches and has deployed 19 ATMs, supplemented by five mobile ATM vans—funded through NABARD’s Financial Inclusion Fund—to serve unbanked villages across Visakhapatnam, Anakapalli, and the Alluri Sitharama Raju (ASR) districts.

“Our digital literacy campaigns and the expansion of services like UPI, mobile banking, and RuPay debit cards are essential to our mission of providing secure banking to all classes of people,” Mr. Tata added.

The bank, is affiliated to 420 societies—including primary agricultural, fishermen, and weaver cooperatives—also prioritised social security for its members by facilitating life and accidental insurance schemes.

“With a CRAR of 9.42%, we are well-positioned to continue supporting the agricultural and cooperative sectors in the region,” he added.