Satish Jarkiholi | Photo credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
District Central Cooperative Bank (DCCB) has to provide loans to farmers. It is the duty of such financial institutions. They cannot run away from such responsibility and say that it might cause them losses, said Satish Jarkiholi, district minister in Belagavi.
He was reacting to the statement of Anna Saheb Jolla, Chairman, DCCB Belagavi, that giving loans to farmers was a loss for the bank, but it continued to give loans as per government policy.
“I don’t know in what sense the chairman made that statement, but I think it is misinterpreted. Whether BDCC makes a profit or a loss, it has to provide credit to farmers. DCC banks were built to provide agricultural credit. They have to follow the directions of the Union and state governments and the RBI. Of course, Mr. Jolle and other directors told reporters on Friday,” the minister said.
BDCC Bank is a farmers bank and should provide loans to farmers. But agricultural loans, like other loans, have to be given only as per the guidelines of RBI and NABARD. Another thing is that the bank provides non-agricultural loans to private individuals and companies because it has to generate profits to sustain itself and grow. Of course, it is not in the hands of the directors of BDCC banks to increase the loan limits to farmers. It is the domain of institutions like RBI and NABARD, Mr. Jarkiholi said. He said that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah would accept the demands of all legislators seeking funds for the development of their constituencies. However, we have not asked for special funds for Belagavi district.
We hope to get all the necessary funds, including those for irrigation projects, the minister said.
Mr. Jarkiholi refused to respond to claims by Channaraj Hattiholi, MLC and Congress leader, that the time had come for Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar to become the Chief Minister.
Published – 13 Feb 2026 22:28 IST