Puttaparthi: District Collector TS Chetan has directed bankers to extend loans to eligible farmers, handloom workers, and members of SC, ST, and BC communities across Sri Sathya Sai district. He emphasised the importance of verifying records thoroughly at field level and ensuring timely sanctioning of loans under schemes like PM Surya Ghar, Stand-Up India, and PMEGP.

He chaired the District Level Bankers Committee (DLBC) review meeting for the financial year 2025–26 at the Mini Conference Hall of the Collectorate on Wednesday. He instructed the officials of all departments to coordinate closely with bankers to ensure that only eligible applicants receive the financial support.

He called for joint efforts with banks to achieve steady district-level economic growth. Chetan urged officials to convene meetings at the constituency level to promote awareness and encourage applications for PM Surya Ghar scheme. He instructed that details of the meeting dates and venues be submitted within a week and that the entire process be organized under the supervision of SE, APSPDCL. He mentioned that agricultural loans worth Rs 7,054 crore were disbursed, against an overall agricultural loan target of Rs 9,772 crore.

Under MSME, Rs 1,245 crore were sanctioned, and Rs 11,282 crore was released for priority sector lending. The total loan disbursement reached Rs 14,168 crore, exceeding the target of Rs 11,870 crore. Under the MUDRA scheme, Rs 534 crore was disbursed against a Rs 495 crore target.

The Collector also emphasised providing loans to tenant farmers and FPOs using drones in agriculture. He noted that the government has allocated targets to banks under BC Corporation’s self-employment programs, which must be achieved within the stipulated deadlines. During the meeting, the Sri Sathya Sai District Annual Credit Plan 2025–26 was released by the Collector.