Bank of India Credit Outreach Program in Lucknow

New Delhi, Nov 23 (PTI) State-owned Bank of India (BoI) on Thursday organised a credit outreach programme in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh.

The programme was presided over by Minister of State for Finance Bhagwat K Karad.

The main objective of the programme was to ensure credit flow to MSME (Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises) and agriculture and allied activities, BoI, State Level Bankers Committee convenor for Uttar Pradesh, a statement said.

In the programme, a total loan amount of Rs 223 crore to 163 customers was sanctioned by all banks, and sanction letters worth Rs 167 crore to 36 beneficiaries were distributed by Karad, it said.

He stressed the benefits of Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY), Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana (PMJJBY), Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana (PMSBY), Atal Pension Yojana (APY) and Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana (PMMY), and appreciated the contribution of banks in successfully implementing various financial inclusion schemes, including Stand-Up India and PM Street Vendor's Atmanirbhar Nidhi (PM SVANidhi).

The minister talked about connecting people deprived of banking facilities with banks and emphasised the importance of a financial inclusion programme towards providing basic financial services in every corner of the country.

Karad urged banks to promote awareness about various financial inclusion schemes, including Jan Suraksha Yojana, and digital financial transactions like UPI Lite.

He asked banks to make the recently launched PM Vishwakarma Yojana to support traditional artisans and craftsmen.