The NRE deposits in banks in Kozhikode district rose Rs 653 crore in the third quarter of the current year ended December 31, 2011.

The NRE deposits stood at Rs 2,683 crore at the end of the quarter as against Rs 2,030 crore on September 30, 2011, according to the figures available at the meeting of the District-Level Banking Review Committee.

The total deposits in the banks in the district reached Rs 13,942 crore, while the total advances were to the tune of Rs 11,405 crore.

The credit-deposit ratio was at 82 per cent, which was two per cent higher than the 80 per cent achieved at the end of the second quarter.

The banks disbursed Rs 2,996 crore under priority sector lending, surpassing the target of Rs 2,927 crore set for the quarter.

Of this, the agriculture sector accounted for Rs 2,050 crore, small-scale industries Rs 94 crore and the other priority sectors for Rs 852 crore.

The banks also disbursed educations loans of Rs 576 crore during the quarter, marking a year-on-year increase of Rs 59 crore.

The total education loans stood at Rs 517 crore at the end of the same quarter in the previous year.

The district credit plan for 2012-2013 was also released at the meeting of the committee. The target for total credit disbursement for the coming financial year has been set at Rs 5,984 crore. Out of this, the priority sector has been allocated Rs 4,320 crore.

Under the priority sector lending, the agriculture and allied sectors will receive Rs 2,150 crore, small-scale industries Rs 151 crore and other priority sectors Rs 2,019 crore.

The number of bank branches, including that of cooperative banks, rose to 479 as on December 31, 2011, from 462 a year ago.

>vinoottan@thehindu.co.in