JAMMU, March 16, KDC: Commissioner Secretary, Cooperatives Department, Yasha Mudgal, today chaired a high-level review meeting to comprehensively overhaul the operational and financial framework of the Baramulla Central Cooperative Bank (BCCB).
The meeting was attended by senior officials, including Registrar, Cooperative Societies, Mohammed Shafiq Chak; Director Finance, Cooperative Department; Assistant General Manager, NABARD, Ravi Shankar Sharma; other senior officers from the department and branch heads of the bank.
During the meeting, Dr. Khalid Malik, Managing Director (MD) CEO of Baramulla Central Co-operative Bank Ltd. (BCCB) presented a detailed overview of the bank’s current financial position, trends in asset quality, progress in deposit mobilisation, branch-wise business performance and achievements against targets set for the current financial year.
Yasha Mudgal observed that the sustainable revival and long-term viability of the bank depend on shifting decisively from passive management practices to proactive, growth-oriented, and compliance-driven strategies.
She issued firm directions to intensify recovery efforts significantly to reduce Non-Performing Assets (NPAs). Bank officers were instructed to exceed assigned recovery targets by adopting result-oriented and innovative methods, rather than relying solely on conventional approaches.
The Commissioner Secretary emphasised direct engagement with defaulting borrowers and the urgent need to foster a strong repayment culture among all cooperative members and borrowers, viewing timely repayment as an essential obligation to the institution and the cooperative movement.
For branches operating at or near NPA thresholds, Yasha Mudgal set a non-negotiable timeline of two to three months to restore acceptable levels of asset quality and profitability. In parallel, She directed the bank to launch a purposeful and aggressive credit expansion programme targeting productive and priority sectors—particularly agriculture, allied activities, small-scale industries, micro-enterprises, and individual entrepreneurs in the region.
The Commissioner Secretary instructed substantial improvement in the Credit-Deposit ratio through diversified and quality lending, enabling the bank to strengthen its balance sheet while contributing meaningfully to employment generation and economic activity in north Kashmir.
Yasha Mudgal laid strong emphasis on institutionalising greater transparency, accountability and operational efficiency at every level. She mandated accelerated adoption of core banking technology, digital banking channels and paperless processes to eliminate leakages, reduce transaction costs, enhance service standards and enable real-time monitoring of operations.
The Commissioner Secretary underscored that the successful turnaround of BCCB is vital for the financial stability of the cooperative ecosystem and the economic well-being of thousands of farming families, artisans, small traders, and self-help groups in the valley.
Yasha Mudgal urged the employees to contribute towards transforming BCCB into a resilient, transparent, professionally managed and customer-centric institution through aggressive recovery, substantial credit expansion, and by restoring the confidence of depositors and members.
The Commissioner Secretary emphasised that the path ahead is non-negotiable and called upon all stakeholders to work collectively towards building a consistently profitable Baramulla Central Cooperative Bank that serves as a reliable and trusted financial partner for every account holder and cooperative member. (KDC)
