'Lending to priority sector is business opportunity'

Banks can find opportunities and thrive in spite of challenging economic scenario and stiff competition in the industry, opined Karnataka Bank Managing Director and CEO P Jayaram Bhat.

He was delivering the key note address at Bank’s Regional Heads’ Review Conference for the quarter ended December 2012.

“The bank can expand its business under retail and MSME segments with aggressive marketing and efficient processing of loan proposals. Karnataka Bank has shown an impressive growth in priority sector advances including weaker section and farm credit. Lending to priority sector is national priority and should be taken as a business opportunity,” he said.

He advised Regional Heads to work by focusing on critical parameters like Net Interest Margin, Cost to Income ratio and NPA levels. The health of credit portfolio has to be kept intact with effective and efficient follow up through multi-level approach. NPAs need aggressive action for early recovery.

Financial Inclusion has to be taken on top priority and banking services to be extended to remote areas through Ultra Small Braches, he said.

All the 10 Regional Heads of Karnataka Bank across India attended the conference.
General Manager M S Mahabaleshwara Bhat welcomed and reviewed the performance of the Bank.

General Managers P Jairama Hande, N Upendra Prabhu, MVCS Karanth and Dr Meera B Aranha, Assistant General Manager N R Ravishankar were also present at the function.