In a high-level review meeting held at the Assam Regional Office of NABARD, the Chief Secretary of Assam, Ravi Kota, placed strong focus on revamping the performance of Assam Cooperative Apex Bank Ltd., positioning it as the cornerstone of the State’s cooperative credit structure.
With the recent elevation of Apex Bank to Schedule-II status by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), the Committee directed the Bank to draw up a comprehensive and forward-looking business development plan to fully leverage new growth opportunities.
While reviewing the Bank’s financial health, officials noted improvements in capital adequacy and profitability. However, rising NPAs emerged as a key concern, prompting strict directions to strengthen recovery mechanisms, improve credit discipline, and ensure prudent lending practices.
The meeting also highlighted the need for the Apex Bank to take the lead in improving the cooperative sector’s Credit-Deposit (CD) ratio, which remains below desired levels. The Bank was advised to strategically expand its advances portfolio and shift focus beyond short-term, scheme-driven loans toward secured retail, MSME, and allied sectors to improve margins and sustainability.
On the operational front, the Apex Bank was tasked with accelerating credit linkage for newly formed PACS, ensuring stronger last-mile delivery. Despite the formation of 490 new MPACS, limited credit flow remains a bottleneck, which the Bank has been asked to address on priority.
Technology and governance reforms were also underscored, with directions to scale up digital banking services, including mobile and internet banking, and to strengthen internal controls for better institutional efficiency.
The Chief Secretary emphasized that the transformation of Assam Cooperative Apex Bank Ltd. will be critical to improving asset quality, enhancing financial inclusion, and ensuring the long-term sustainability of Assam’s cooperative credit ecosystem.
The meeting was convened by the CGM of NABARD and attended by the Registrar of Cooperative Societies (Assam), Regional Director (NER) of the RBI, Managing Director of Apex Bank, along with senior officials of NABARD and other stakeholders.
It was also noted that Chairman Biswajit Phukan could not attend the meeting due to his engagement in the ongoing Assam Assembly elections, as he is contesting from the Sarupathar constituency on a BJP ticket. In view of his election commitments, he has entrusted Ms. Dibyajyoti Saikia with the responsibility of overseeing the Bank’s affairs as Acting Chairperson during the interim period.
