Hindu reports Vinay Kumar Sorake, Urban Development Minister, of Karnataka said cooperative banks have been able to reach small land holders and offer loans to them in Udupi and Dakshina Kannada districts. He was speaking after inaugurating the 96th branch of the South Canara District Central Cooperative (SCDCC) Bank at Parkala.
According to the minister, cooperative banks were closer to the people. Thriving cooperative banks and societies were responsible for the progress made by Udupi and Dakshina Kannada in agriculture and other related fields. They had also been responsible for the growth of women’s self help groups, he said.
Pramod Madhwaraj, MLA, said it was much easier for people to get loans from the cooperative banks when compared to nationalised banks. He was delighted that the SCDCC Bank would be starting its 100th branch at Kokkarne in Udupi Assembly constituency.
M.N. Rajendra Kumar, Chairman of SCDCC Bank, said the bank would come up with a loan scheme for farmers soon. A lot of agricultural land was lying without cultivation in Udupi and Dakshina Kannada districts. The bank wanted to help agriculture and farmers, he said.