Mon May 19 16:51:40 UTC 2025: **Summary:**
Tamil Nadu’s Finance Minister Thangam Thennarasu unveiled the Annual Credit Plan (ACP) for the state for 2025-26, setting a target of ₹9 lakh crore for priority sector lending. He commended the banks for their proactive approach in lending to priority sectors and highlighted the state’s impressive credit-deposit ratio. The meeting also reviewed financial inclusion and credit growth in the priority sector for the previous fiscal year.
**News Article:**
**Tamil Nadu Sets Ambitious ₹9 Lakh Crore Credit Target for Priority Sectors**
**Chennai, May 19, 2025** – Tamil Nadu is aiming for significant growth in priority sector lending, with Finance Minister Thangam Thennarasu announcing an Annual Credit Plan (ACP) of ₹9 lakh crore for the fiscal year 2025-26. The plan was unveiled at the 182nd State Level Bankers’ Committee (SLBC) meeting, convened by Indian Overseas Bank.
The ₹9,00,181 crore target represents an estimated 21.12% increase over the previous year’s lending in priority sectors. Minister Thennarasu praised the banks in Tamil Nadu for their active role in supporting priority sectors, particularly agriculture and micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), as well as their participation in government-sponsored programs. He also emphasized the state’s strong credit-deposit ratio of 126%, calling it “one of the best in the country.”
“I request all the banks to work more vigorously to reach the ACP 2025-26 target,” Thennarasu urged during his address.
The SLBC meeting also included a review of financial inclusion and credit growth within the priority sector for the financial year ending March 2025. According to the released statement, priority sector advances grew from ₹6,63,993.27 crore in March 2024 to ₹7,43,194.33 crore in March 2025, marking an 11.93% increase. Mohan M., SLBC convenor and Indian Overseas Bank general manager, presented the detailed performance data. The initiative aims to further boost economic development in key sectors across Tamil Nadu.
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