CHANDIGARH, 13.11.26-The 65th meeting of the UT Level Bankers’ Committee (UTLBC) was held at Hotel Park View, Chandigarh, with the participation of senior officials from the banking sector, Reserve Bank of India, NABARD and various government departments.

The meeting was attended by Shri M. Paramsivam, Executive Director, Punjab National Bank; Shri Diprava Lakra, IAS, Finance Secretary, UT Chandigarh; Shri Vivek Shrivastav, Regional Director, RBI, Chandigarh; Shri Ashish Chaturvedi, Chief General Manager, PNB; Smt. Nidhi Bhargava, General Manager, PNB; and Shri Ramesh Babu, Chief General Manager, NABARD. Regional Heads of various banks operating in Chandigarh and representatives of the concerned government departments also participated.

The meeting deliberated upon several important issues concerning financial inclusion, social security and strengthening the banking ecosystem in the Union Territory.

*The key areas of discussion included:

1. Strengthening Social Security Schemes: Emphasis was laid on increasing awareness, expanding coverage and ensuring effective implementation of social security schemes so that their benefits reach eligible beneficiaries, particularly vulnerable sections of society.
2. Lending to the Poorest Sections of Society: Banks were encouraged to enhance credit outreach to economically weaker and underprivileged sections, ensuring access to affordable institutional finance and promoting inclusive economic growth.
3. Recovery of Non-Performing Assets (NPAs): The importance of strengthening recovery mechanisms, taking timely follow-up measures and improving the overall quality of bank assets was highlighted.
4. Reducing KYC Pendency: Banks were advised to take focused and time-bound measures to reduce pending KYC updation cases and facilitate seamless banking services for customers.
5. Protection of PMJDY Accounts: Special emphasis was laid on ensuring that no Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY) account is frozen or rendered inoperative merely due to pending KYC updation. Banks were also advised to assist customers in completing the required formalities without undue hardship.

The meeting reaffirmed the collective commitment of banks and government agencies to strengthening financial inclusion, improving customer service, extending banking facilities to the most vulnerable sections and ensuring effective implementation of various flagship financial inclusion initiatives.

The deliberations concluded with a shared resolve to work in close coordination for a more inclusive, accessible and customer-centric banking ecosystem in UT Chandigarh.