Bengal Govt to computerise cooperative banks

KOLKATA, Dec 26:�� West Bengal Government has decided to computerise the cooperative� banks under its jurisdiction.This would enable the huge rural population of the state get access to the latest modern� services.During the current financial year, of the 29,000 cooperative banks, 3,000 would be� computerised. For the rest, it would be completed within the next two to three years, the� official sources here today said.Cooperative banks provide a yeoman service to people from lower economic strata as well� as farmers.According to the State Cooperation Minister at recent departmental function, the department� has set an aim of lending Rs 75 crore by the cooperative banks in the rural areas and Rs 100� crore by the banks in the urban areas.Of the about Rs 550 crore loans taken by farmers in the year, the cooperative banks have� lent about Rs 350 crore. Besides, during the last financial year, these banks loaned Rs 592� crore to the self-help groups; this target has been upped to Rs 1,400 crore for the current� financial year.(UNI)