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Chairmans Speech
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The Burdwan Central Co-operative Bank Ltd. was established on 26 th January, 1917 with a paid up share capital of Rs. 8000/-. The Bank had at that time only 17 Primary Agriculture Credit Societies and 51 individuals as members. The then District Magistrate, Mr. P.H. Waddal, I.C.S. was the 1 st Chairman of the Bank. The Bank started functioning at the Western Veranda of Zilla Parishad and later shifted to one room of the Burdwan Town Hall and thereafter a portion of to District Magistrate Office. Bank's own building in the present premises was constructed in 1934 and renovated in 1960. A new building has been constructed subsequently the foundation stone of which was laid by Sri Jyoti Basu, Hon'ble Chief Minister of the Govt. of West Bengal on 16 th . May 1987 and the building was inaugurated by HIS EXCELLENCY Dr. Sayed Nurul Hassan, the Governor of west Bengal on 16 th April, 1990 . Since inception of the Bank the authorities of the Bank received ample support and endless cooperation from the Zilla Parishad and District administration and the same tradition has been continuing till now. The object of the bank is to mop up deposits from the public and to utilize the funds including own funds, after keeping the statutory minimum cash reserve and liquid asset in terms of law in financing mainly Agriculture and other allied activities, cottage and small scale industries including handloom and other priority sectors of the district. Consequent upon increase in the business, the bank has entered into the activities of Housing Loan, Marketing Finance, other business finance and advance against Govt. Securities. The Bank mainly concentrates its activities on serving the poor people of the District and with that aim in view the resources of the Bank are utilized. The bank has extended its service to the customers through a network of 38 (thirty-eight) branches of which 10 (ten) branches are fully computerized. All the branches are covered with computerized Management Information System (M.I.S.) network. . It is worthy to mention that the elected management took a scientific and prudent view to do away with the traditional recruitment process and arranged recruitment of bank staff through Banking Service Commission. Presently, the recruitment is done by Co-operative Service Commission, W.B. as per statute. The following table shows the activities of the Bank in different sectors .
As on 31.3.2006:: Loan outstanding, Balance as on 31.3.06The Bank has provided 75% of the total crop loan issued by all banks together in the district . 80% of the Agricultural loans have been given to small and marginal Farmers including Patta Holders and Bargadars. With the help of District Rural Development Authority and Panchayet functionaries this bank has played an important role in converting about 49,000 acres of land from single crop area to multiple ones by advancing finance for installation of 3239 nos. of Mini Deep Tube wells in this district. Other 1228 nos. of Mini Deep tube wells already sanctioned by the bank are awaiting electrification out of which 410 have been earmarked by the Zilla Parishad and WBSEB for immediate energisation. Uptill now 225 MDTWS have already energized. The Bank has started formation of Self-Help Groups by poor people each having a minimum number of 5 and maximum 20 members. 11751 such groups have been formed till 31.08.2006 of which female group 8612. Total no. of member 88714 of which female members 67674. 4615 groups have linked with credit. The Bank is the 1 st Bank of the Eastern Region of our country in the Cooperative Sector to introduce Kishan Credit Cards to Farmers in June, 1999. Uptil now 138276 Kishan Credit Cards have been issued. Recovery of loan is one aspect of which all the Bankers clamour. In our case this is not at all a problem. The collection of Agricultural loan alone has exceeded 85% during the last ten years. This year Collection percentage is 89.80%. For some long period there had been no election of Board of Directors in the Bank since 1972 because of litigation. The elected Management took over charge on 12 th June, 1985 and since then elections are being held regularly in terms of provisions of Co-operative Act and Rules. At the time of taking over charge the deposit position of the Bank was 30 crores and recovery performance of agricultural loan was only 37%. Now the deposit of the Bank has increased to Rs. 627 crores and recovery performance of Agril. Loan has been raised to the level of 87.1% on an average over the last three years. Financial Position of the BankThe financial position of the Bank is given in the table below which shows spectacular Development after the elected Management has taken over in the year 1985.
The Bank was adjudged as the best bank of undivided Bengal in the year 1919-20 and received award from Govt. of Bengal. The same tradition has been continuing even now and the Bank was adjudged as the Best Central Cooperative Bank of the State by NABARD on 1995-96 . The Bank is at present the largest Central Cooperative Bank in the eastern region. The Management of the Bank is determined to improve the position further and has taken the following programme of activities from 2006-2007. (Rs. in crores)
The Bank is taking active part in the welfare activities in each year as below:: The Bank handed over to Hon'ble Vice-President of India, Dr Sankardayal Sharma a cheque for Rs. 3.92 lacs for literacy campaign. A sum of Rs. 2,10,054.00 was contributed to Chief Minister's Relief Fund in 1999. A sum of Rs.3 lacs (three lacs) in 2000 and Rs. 5.50 lacs in 2004 for Tsunnami's victims. Such contribution to Chief Minister's Relief Fund is given each year for the last 10 years. A sum of Rs. 3,50,000.00 was given to Zilla Parishad for purchase of 1000 Tarpaulin for the flood affected people of the district in 1999 and 2000. Sanctioning of 1 year long stipend to 6 students 3 each of Higher Secondary and Secondary Students securing highest marks among the students of the district. The programme to give award is continuing for the last 11 years. Similar award for successful students amongst the wards of its employees. The bank gives financial assistance to brilliant students from S.C./ S.T. and financial backward families who have completed Joint Entrance Examinations The Bank is assisting the P.A.C.S. mobilizing deposits. Assistance out of P.A.C.S. Development Fund for erection of counter ,purchase of iron safe etc and upto the year 2005-2006 , 70 such societies have been assisted 11.17 lacs. The said programme is continuing now also. The Bank is taking active part in financing Housing scheme for economically weaker's section , IDSMT programme of the State Government. Recently the Bank has accepted in principle to implement two programmes tittled Aytma Samman and Aytma Marjada launched by the youth welfare Department for urban Unemployed persons. The Bank has been advancing credit to the handloom sector through the primary weavers' coop. societies to the tune of Rs. 28 crores on an average over the last three years both in the shape of working capital assistance as well as term loan. This has served the weaver community of the district immensely in their production and marketing activities. In the whirlwind of market economy it is very much necessary to run the cooperatives with professional skill to resist the onslaught of monopolistic houses and the Management of the Bank is determined to fight it out. Like all other central co-operative banks this bank is also afflicted with the problem of imbalance of Rs.1554.88 crores in Short Term Agriculture Sector. Some solution need to be evolved without any further delay to this cancerous growth of imbalance. Chittaranjan Bandyopadhyay,Chairman
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