BIHAR: Union Minister of Finance and Corporate Affairs, Nirmala Sitharaman, chaired a credit outreach programme in Darbhanga, Bihar.

During the programme, loans worth Rs 1,388 crore were distributed to 49,137 beneficiaries by various banks, according to an official statement from the Ministry of Finance.

Chirag Paswan, Union Minister of Food Processing Industries, and Samrat Choudhary, Deputy Chief Minister of Bihar, also participated in the event.

M Nagaraju, Secretary of the Department of Financial Services (DFS) and MD of the Central Bank of India, highlighted the efforts made by banks under financial inclusion initiatives in the district.

Sitharaman, along with other dignitaries, visited around 25 stalls showcasing various local products and handicrafts created by entrepreneurs financed by banks and NABARD.

The Union Finance Minister distributed five copies of the Constitution each in Maithili and Sanskrit to distinguished citizens. She also flagged off an ambulance and provided tricycles to disabled individuals as part of CSR activities.

Further, the release stated that NABARD announced the sanctioning of over Rs 74 crore for various rural road projects. Banks and SIDBI also extended support under CSR activities to improve school infrastructure, particularly in schools for girls.

Chirag Paswan thanked the Union Finance Minister for visiting Darbhanga, while Samrat Choudhary praised the efforts of the Prime Minister and Sitharaman in promoting the economic development of the region.

During the event, Sitharaman inaugurated five branches of the State Bank of India and 25 BC Maxx Centres of the Central Bank of India.

The programme was attended by several dignitaries, including MPs Gopal Jee Thakur, Dr. Dharmshila Gupta, Sanjay Kumar Jha, and Dr. Ashok Kumar Yadav; K. V. Shaiji, Chairman of NABARD; M. V. Rao, MD of the Central Bank of India; Manoj Mittal, CMD of SIDBI; M. P. Tangirala, Additional Secretary of DFS; and Surinder Rana, Deputy Managing Director of SBI.

Earlier in the day, the Union Finance Minister chaired a review meeting of Regional Rural Banks (RRBs) from the Eastern Belt in Patna.