ADBL to give bonus from next year

Agriculture Development Bank Ltd (ADBL) is planning to distribute bonus to shareholders from the next fiscal year.
The bank, after restructuring its negative net worth, will distribute bonus from next year, said chief executive officer Tej Bahadur Budhathoki in a press meet here today.
"Ministry of Finance has given consent to transfer Rs 3.86 billion from reserve fund and it will cover our loss," he said, adding that it will help ADBL to distribute bonus. The ministry has given the money to cover the cost of loans exemption to small farmer three years ago.
The bank has 228,174 shareholders at present. It has about Rs 37.21 billion deposits from 673,084 depositors spreading across the country, according to the bank that has increased its authorised capital to Rs 13 billion and paid up capital to Rs 9.47 billion, including proposed preferential share worth Rs 6.43 billion.
ADBL has floated loans worth Rs 340.83 billion in the last 45 years and was repaid Rs 300.45 billion. "We still have Rs 40.38 loans to 167,299 people," he said.The bank has diversified its investment from agriculture to businesses and industries in recent years to sustain in the competitive market. However, it is still giving priority to agriculture, Budhathoki said, adding that its 12 per cent to 15 per cent investment is still in agriculture sector.
ADBL is also restructuring its management along with other changes to tap large share in financial market. It has also upgraded its major branches – main office, corporate office, Thamel, Gaushala and Bode branches and Kathmandu regional office – to computerised system, apart from introducing new services like letter of credit (LC) and remittance service under brand name 'ADBL Remit.'
"We are also inviting strategic partner in next two years," he said, adding that a committee has been formed and that will prepare technical report in a next couple of months. "Its longtime partner Asian Development Bank (ADB) is providing technical support to the bank," according to the chief executive.
Meanwhile, ADBL has signed an agreement worth Rs 1 billion under Youth and Small Entrepreneur Self-reliant Fund (YSESF) and will mobilise it to youth seeking self-reliant from March. "ADBL is lending to individual, groups and organisations on the basis of viability of project," he added.