New Delhi, Nov 18 (FN Agency) Allaying fears among bankers of three Cs (CBI, CVC and CAG), Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said he would stand with them for decisions taken in national interest and with complete honesty. He said that people make genuine mistakes when they work and should such situation arise, he will stand with bankers like a wall. “I have told you again and again. I have told this to bankers that I am with you, always. For work done in national interest and with complete honesty, I am with you. You note down my words, keep a clipping of this video. I am with you, I am near you and I am for you,” the Prime Minister said, while addressing the conference on ‘Creating Synergies for Seamless Credit Flow & Economic Growth’. “There are genuine mistakes when you work. But when such situation would come, I will stand for you like a wall,” the PM told senior bankers. The two-day conference of bankers was organised by the Finance Ministry and focused on flow of credit to different sectors of the economy in a seamless manner. Secretaries of various ministries and government departments also attended the conference and provided insights into the projects of their ministries that could require credit. Participating in the concluding session, Modi urged the banks to support agriculture sector as it could change the rural landscape.
“In our country, investment in agriculture sector is very low. The investment by corporate sector in the agri sector is virtually nil, while there are a lot of possibilities in the food processing sector and a huge market out there internationally. In villages, food processing industries, plant & machineries related to agriculture and works related to solar power are coming up. If banking sector supports them, the landscape of villages can completely change,” he said. The Prime Minister also asked banks to promote women self-help groups (SHGs) and the fintech sector. “You have so much incredible experience of women self-help groups (SHGs) but do you have any plan or scheme for them? The women self-help groups have huge potential. They could be a driving force of the economy at grassroot level,” he said. The Prime Minister suggested banks to have at least 100 clients in each branch who transact digitally and online. “Isn’t it possible that each bank branch has at least 100 customers who are 100 per cent digital? They should be from among the top clients and not the ones transacting Rs 1,000-2,000,” he said.