SUMAN K SHRIVASTAVA
Ranchi, Feb. 3: The Jharkhand State Legal Services Authority (JHALSA) has begun a special drive to get various banks recover around Rs 7400 crore outstanding loan from over 7 lakh defaulters in Jharkhand.
JHALSA acting Chairman and Acting Chief Justice Aparesh Kumar Singh has trusted the Permanent Lok Adalats (PLAs) in all the 24 districts to run this drive for the next six months by holding extra sittings and special camps.
The PLAs have begun issuing notices from February 1 to the borrowers to join the special camps for settling the disputes to run the drive.
Most of these loan defaulters are small borrowers, including farmers and had defaulted during the Covid period when several of them lost their means of livelihoods.
“So, instead of taking any coercive action the banks thought it fit to go for an amicable negotiation and settle these NPA (Non-performing assets) accounts,” said a banker.
The Authority has launched the campaign at the request of the State Level Bankers Committee (SLBC), which has always faced the brunt of the State government for not giving adequate loans to the persons in need or make them move from pillar to post for loans.
The PLAs have been asked to coordinate with the bank authorities and issue notice to the parties through the district legal services authority (DLSA).
They will hold special camps at the block and subdivision level also where the banks are located.
Notably, Permanent Lok Adalats have been set up as permanent bodies with a Chairman and two members for providing compulsory pre-litigative mechanism for conciliation and settlement of cases relating to Public Utility Services like transport, postal, telegraph etc.
Under the rule, even if the parties fail to reach to a settlement, the Permanent Lok Adalat gets jurisdiction to decide the dispute, provided, the dispute does not relate to any offence. Further, the Award of the Permanent Lok Adalat is final and binding on all the parties. The jurisdiction of the Permanent Lok Adalats is upto Rs. One Crore.
The Lok Adalat may conduct the proceedings in such a manner as it considers appropriate, taking into account the circumstances of the case, wishes of the parties like requests to hear oral statements, speedy settlement of dispute etc.
