Kohima, June 27: Concerned over low credit flow in the district, Kohima Deputy Commissioner has directed banks to step up lending to villages, Self Help Groups (SHGs), contractors and housing sectors, while also mandating all bank branches to maintain CCTV footage for a minimum of 90 days.
Chairing the District Consultative Committee (DCC) and District Level Security Committee (DLSC) meeting for the quarter ending March 2026, the DC stressed the need for “collaboration, not fault-finding” to improve banking services and credit delivery in the district.
The meeting noted that Kohima’s Credit Deposit Ratio (CDR) stood at just 29.47 per cent, with 15 banks recording CDR below the 40 per cent benchmark during the last quarter. Banks were asked to explain the constraints behind poor lending and explore ways to increase credit penetration.
IDBI Bank emerged as a positive example after crossing the 40 per cent CDR mark, attributing its performance to expanded lending to villages, SHGs, food processing units and home buyers, besides opening an additional branch in the district.
The review showed mixed progress under the Annual Credit Plan (ACP). While the district achieved 130.57 per cent of its MSME target, performance in agriculture and other priority sectors remained weak at 37.91 per cent and 23.64 per cent respectively. Overall priority sector achievement stood at 83.10 per cent.
Kohima currently has a banking network comprising 55 branches, 97 ATMs and 169 Business Correspondents/Customer Service Points.
Under financial inclusion initiatives, 30 SHGs were linked to savings accounts and 31 to credit during the quarter, while annual credit linkage reached 113 groups. Banks also issued 335 Kisan Credit Cards, disbursing loans worth Rs 889.65 lakh.
Progress under flagship schemes remained uneven.
The DC called for aggressive promotion of the PM Surya Ghar scheme, noting that the government incurs substantial expenditure on electricity while revenue recovery remains low.
Financial literacy efforts also received attention, with 199 awareness camps conducted between April 2025 and March 2026.
On asset quality, Non-Performing Assets (NPAs) under Priority Sector Lending stood at 6.10 per cent, while non-priority sector NPAs were relatively low at 0.70 per cent.
During the DLSC meeting, the Additional Superintendent of Police highlighted manpower shortages in providing security cover to nearly 20 banks.
Concerned over surveillance gaps, the Deputy Commissioner directed all banks to install and maintain CCTV systems with at least 90 days of recording backup and to promptly report any security lapses.
The meeting also reviewed NABARD’s Potential Linked Credit Plan (PLP) for FY 2027-28, which maps sector-wise credit potential to guide institutional financing for agriculture, allied activities, MSMEs and other priority sectors.
Reiterating that banking services must effectively reach beneficiaries, the DC urged all stakeholders to work collectively and flag issues requiring intervention to strengthen financial inclusion and rural development in Kohima district.
