Patna,(BiharTimes): In the absence of a full-fledged finance minister it was the chief minister Nitish Kumar, who chaired the 46th State Level Bankers’ Meet at Chanakya Hotel on Wednesday.

Speaking on the occasion Agriculture minister Narendra Singh and Industry Minister Renu Kushwaha drew the attention of banks towards agriculture and industrial sector.

Narendra Singh asked the banks not to adopt harsh approach in recovering bank loans from the farmers in the drought hit districts of the state, while Renu Kushwaha sought more investment in the small sector.

Nitish said that though the CD ratio has increased to 40 per cent in the state yet it is not satisfactory as the national figure is 80 per cent.

He said that the big ticket investment has less scope in Bihar where there is shortage of land. Instead he called on the banks to invest in the small sector. The chief minister said the mega-loan camps should be videographed so that the role of middle-men be abolished. 

The central team, which was in the state to make a review of 33 drought hit districts were also present on the occasion.

In the past, the then deputy chief minister-cum-finance minister, Sushil Kumar Modi, used to preside over the SLBMs.