An Interactive Session with the senior managers of State Bank of India and MSME members of the Chamber was held on 27th February 2014 with the primary objective being to create a forum for MSMEs to share and discuss their issues of concern with senior bankers representing India’s largest bank. The meeting also served as a useful forum for discussing the products and services being offered by SBI especially for MSMEs and to apprise the bankers about the arbitration, mediation and conciliation services that the Chamber is offering as an alternative mode of dispute resolution.

Shri J Karthikeyan, General Manager, MCRO-I, Kolkata; Shri Debabrata Dutta, General Manager, MCRO-II, Kolkata; Shri Pradip Kumar Dutta, Dy. General Manager, Industrial Finance Branch, Kolkata; Shri Dinesh Pandey, Dy. General Manager, Overseas Branch, Kolkata; Shri Ashok Kumar Gulla, Dy. General Manager, Jeevandeep Branch, Kolkata and Shri Jyoti Saran, Dy. General Manager, Commercial Branch, Kolkata were present from SBI.

Mr. P Roy, Director General of the Chamber, while speaking about the yeoman services of the Bengal Chamber, also highlighted the services BCC&I has been rendering almost since inception in the matter of alternative dispute resolution (ADR) to the business and trading community with respect to their dealings and transactions. ADR Services of the Bengal Chamber were re-launched during the national conference on “Proposed Amendments to the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996 and ADR” held in April 2011. The rules of Arbitration, Conciliation and Mediation have been framed and uploaded on the website of the Bengal Chamber. Mr. Roy further referred to the Chamber’s panel of arbitrators comprising competent, reputed, established and experienced personnel from all professions including legal luminaries, i.e., retired judges of Supreme Court and High Court.

Participating MSMEs, represented by their owners / senior management, deliberated mainly on the difficulties in availing loans from the bankers without co-laterals and inadequacy and delay in sanctioning project loans. Members pointed out that co-laterals are not required for MSMEs for loans up to Rs. 1 crore and requested SBI’s intervention to sanction loan expeditiously.

The representatives of the banks elaborated that their function essentially was risk management and also to support the MSME Sector’s growth. However, their activities were governed by the regulators and they would always have to act within the purview of the guidelines especially in view of increasing NPAs. They however, assured that SBI would not spare any efforts to accommodate the needs of the MSMEs. For any project finance, pointed out by the bankers, proposals need to be evaluated by the appropriate rating agency with the feasibility report. MSMEs were requested to co-ordinate with the relevant State Bank branches in their areas and could always approach SBI personnel attending the seminar for help and assistance.

The meeting concluded with a Vote of Thanks by Director General, BCC&I.