Principal Secretary, Animal & Sheep Husbandry, Agriculture Production, Horticulture and Cooperative Departments, Navin Kumar Choudhary, today convened a meeting with the management of Jammu and Kashmir State Cooperative Agriculture and Rural Development Bank Limited (JKSCARD) to review the present status of working and financial implication of the bank.Managing Director, JKSCARD Bank, Mohammad Aslam Bhat gave a detailed resume of working of the bank and apprised that it is providing Medium Term and Long-Term financial support to the agriculturists and horticulturists of the Union Territory for agriculture and non-agriculture activities.Principal Secretary said that the majority of the population of Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir is dependent on agriculture and horticulture sector so it is necessary to promote and strengthen the JKSCARD bank at all levels. He asked the bank authorities to ensure grant of loans to maximum agriculturists and horticulturalists of the Union Territory.Principal Secretary asked the concerned bank authorities to review the rate of interests on loans as per guidelines of RBI and JK Bank so that more and more beneficiaries are covered and benefited under the JKSCARD bank schemes. Navin Choudhary urged upon the officers for quick and timely removal of bottlenecks in the execution of such schemes, strengthening of bank network and minimizing inconvenience to the people besides upliftment of farmers particularly weaker sections of the society.Principal Secretary asked the Managing Director JKSCARD to conduct an audit of the bank as early as possible and prepare a list of defaulters of the bank so that necessary action could be initiated appropriately.Among others, Statistical Officer Cooperative and other senior officers of JKSCARD Bank were present in the meeting.