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Second, the institutional arrangement for the operationalization of the
Lead Bank Scheme as part of the State and District Development Plans has
been neatly set out in the Usha Thorat Committee Report. The State Level
Bankers’ Committee (SLBC) becomes the focal point for the implementation
of the Development Plan at state and district levels for inclusive growth. While
the CMD of the convenor bank chairs the meeting of SLBC, the Chief Secretary
of the concerned state should co-chair the meeting. The Lead District Manager
(LDM), District Coordination Committee (DCC) headed by him/her, district-
level government officials functioning as part of the
Panchyati Raj
System,
District Development Manager of NABARD and Lead District Officer of RBI,
constitute at the district level the core group to formulate plans and oversee
their implementation. With a view to integrating the state and district-level
development plans aiming at
inclusive growth
with state and district credit
plans designed for financial inclusion, the Usha Thorat Committee has
proposed the following:
“An annual conference of Chief Secretaries/Development
Commissioners, CMDs of SLBC convenor banks may be convened
under the Chairmanship of the Governor, Reserve Bank to
discuss important policy issues in the area of financial inclusion
and priority sector lending. In each State, a full day sensitisation
workshop may be convened in April/May every year (p.74).
Finally, the Lead Bank Review Committee has focussed also on a wider
perspective of rural development requiring “credit plus” services by banks but
supported by state governments.
“The DLCCs/SLBCs may monitor initiatives for providing 'credit
plus' services by banks and State Government. These initiatives
are aimed at capacity/skill building of prospective small
entrepreneurs/borrowers and enhancing the farmers’ capability
of absorbing new technology and practices. 'Credit plus' activities
such as those providing skills and capacity building to manage
businesses and linking to markets are required to be taken up on
a much larger scale. The Planning Commission has now approved
the proposal of setting up of RSETIs (RUDSETIs) in all districts
of the country and a sum of
`
100 crore has initially been ear-
marked for the purpose. As per the roll out plan, the aim is to
establish one RSETI in each district in the country by 2011-12,
out of which approximately, 100 would be established in 2008-
09 itself. The Ministry of Rural Development has appointed NIRD
