Chief Secretary, Union Territory of Ladakh, Ashish Kundra, on November 2, chaired the 16th Union Territory Level Bankers Committee (UTLBC) meeting to review the performance of banks in Ladakh for the quarter ending June 2026. The meeting reviewed credit disbursement, deposit and credit growth, the Credit-Deposit (CD) ratio, and the implementation of various government-sponsored schemes.

As per the key performance indicators, banks achieved 26% of the Annual Credit Target under Priority Sector Advances, disbursing ₹373 crore during the first quarter of 2026–27. Overall, banks achieved 29% of the annual target; disbursing ₹834 crore under priority and non-priority sector advances.

Total deposits registered a year-on-year growth of 12.32%, reaching ₹11,630.35 crore as of June 2026, while total credit grew by 10.48% to ₹5,319.22 crore. The overall Credit-Deposit ratio of UT Ladakh stood at 45.74% for the quarter ending June 2026.

The meeting commenced with a welcome address by Chander Mohan Bhat, Assistant General Manager, State Bank of India, Administrative Office, Jammu, who welcomed the Chairman and other dignitaries. A comprehensive presentation on the performance and achievements of banks was subsequently delivered by Tsering Wangmo, Assistant General Manager, Convenor Bank, UT Ladakh.

During the meeting, the Chief Secretary directed all banks to organise at least one camp every month in each district, in coordination with the Department of Industries and Commerce, to enhance credit flow, improve the Credit-Deposit ratio and ensure wider coverage of eligible beneficiaries under various government-sponsored schemes.

Emphasising the need for improved access to institutional finance, the Chief Secretary directed that these camps focus on providing credit support in agriculture, MSME, renewable energy, education, housing and other priority sectors. The initiative aims to enable eligible beneficiaries to access financial assistance under one roof and in a timely manner.

He further directed that the outcomes of these camps be reviewed in subsequent meetings in consultation with the concerned line departments to assess progress, identify bottlenecks and ensure effective follow-up for enhancing credit flow in Ladakh.

General Manager, NABARD, Vikas Mittal, informed the meeting that the benchmark for the Credit-Deposit ratio is 60%. RBI Regional Director, Prabhakar Jha, highlighted that loans pertaining to borrowers in UT Ladakh, even if sanctioned by bank head offices located outside the Union Territory, should also be duly considered while calculating Ladakh's CD ratio.

The Chief Secretary also directed the State Bank of India and J&K Bank to strengthen banking infrastructure in the Vibrant Villages through the opening of bank branches, banking outlets and Business Correspondent (BC) facilities, along with the installation of ATMs, to improve access to banking services in remote and border areas.

Further, the Chief Secretary asked the Convenor Bank, UTLBC Ladakh, to prepare a common bank-wise loan application form covering various government-sponsored schemes to facilitate ease of application, simplify the loan application process, improve outreach and ensure timely disposal of cases.
Himanshu Gupta (IAS), Administrative Secretary, informed the meeting that trading and service-sector schemes, including Pashmina-related activities up to a certain limit, may also be included under the Mission Yuva scheme.

The meeting was attended by Tsewang Tharchin (IA&AS), Commissioner Secretary; Himanshu Gupta (IAS), Administrative Secretary; Dheeraj Bhaskar, Deputy Secretary, Department of Financial Services, Ministry of Finance, Government of India, through video conferencing; Romil Singh Donk (IAS), Deputy Commissioner, Leh; Deputy Commissioner, Kargil; and officers from Sham, Changthang, Nubra, Zanskar and Drass through video conferencing.

Other participants included Prabhakar Jha, RBI Regional Director, through video conferencing; Vikas Mittal, General Manager, NABARD; Vibha Gupta, Deputy General Manager, RBI, through video conferencing; C. M. Bhat, Assistant General Manager, SBI, Administrative Office, Jammu; Tsewang Dorjay, Zonal Head, J&K Bank; Tsewang Dorjay, Assistant General Manager, NABARD; Directors and Joint Directors of concerned departments; and senior representatives of member banks and financial institutions.