Govt. Flags Slow Disbursement of Rs. 95 Bn MSME Credit 📈

Deputy Minister Chathuranga Abeysinghe has criticized the banking sector for "uncooperative" behavior, alleging that branches are prioritizing high-interest internal products over State-funded concessional schemes. • Overall Figures: Out of a total Rs. 95.69 Bn allocated for MSME financing initiatives in 2026, only Rs. 17.49 Bn (approx. 18%) has been disbursed as of March 10, 2026. • Government-Funded Scheme: • Total Allocation: Rs. 22.2 Bn • Total Disbursed: Rs. 7.18 Bn (32% utilization) • Coverage: 630 loans processed to date. • Sector Performance: • State Banks: Lagging significantly with utilization rates of only 11%–18% (Rs. 2.18 Bn disbursed). • Private Banks: High efficiency shown by Commercial Bank (103% utilization), HNB (102%), and NDB (100%). • Banking Context: Despite slow lending to small businesses, the sector reported a 19.3% YoY increase in post-tax profits (Rs. 369 Bn) in 2025. The credit-to-deposit ratio stands at 69.9%, indicating a conservative lending stance with high liquidity. • Action for Entrepreneurs: MSMEs facing bank-level bottlenecks are advised to contact Industrial and Entrepreneurship Officers at Divisional Secretariats to bypass delays.