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Banks ‘ignoring’ small customers
SANKHUWASABHA, JUL 29 -
Farmers and small traders have complained that banks based in the district headquarters were not providing loans to them but focusing on lending to big businessmen only.
There are five banks in Khandbari—Agricultural Development Bank, Rastriya Banijya Bank, Nepal Bank, Nabil Bank and Khandbari Development Bank. The banks said they were not providing loans as per their central policy. Manager of Nepal Bank, Khandbari branch Madan Baral said his branch had a policy of not investing outside Khandbari municipality. He added that
his bank would provide loans to both big and small traders of the municipality.
But a small trader Chudamani Khanal complained that small traders were not getting loans from the banks. Taraman Gurung, district president of the Nepali Congress, said that the banks were focusing on the rich people of Khandbari.
The Agricultural Development Bank earned a profit of Rs. 9.68 million in the last fiscal year and issued loans amounting to Rs. 55.26 million in Khandbari. Branch manager Ajjudha Bahadur Adhikari admitted that his branch had a profit motive and would not invest in rural areas.
A youth Ganga Bistha expressed anger over the banks’ practice of lending money only to rich people. “It is an injustice for small traders who have to borrow money from big traders although there are several banks in the district," he said.
Rastriya Banijya Bank earned a profit of Rs. 5.84 million last year. Branch manager Baburam Timsina said that the bank was not in a position to go to the district headquarters immediately.
Posted on: 2010-07-30 08:15
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