SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir Bank has been honoured by the Credit Guarantee Fund Trust for Micro and Small Enterprises (CGTMSE) for securing the highest number of guarantee coverages in Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, recognising its contribution to expanding access to collateral-free credit for micro and small enterprises (MSEs).
The award was presented at the Member Lending Institutions (MLI) Felicitation Ceremony 2026, organised by CGTMSE in Mumbai to recognise the contributions of lending institutions towards widening access to collateral-free credit for MSEs.
The bank’s Divisional Head (Rest of India), Riaz Ahmed Wani, received the award on its behalf. He was accompanied by Zonal Head (Mumbai) Irfan Kawoosa and Incharge GSGD (CHQ) Vikas Aithmia.
Welcoming the recognition, J&K Bank Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer Amitava Chatterjee said the award acknowledged the bank’s efforts to improve access to enterprise credit in Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.
He congratulated the bank’s staff, particularly employees in operations, saying their work in processing loan proposals, securing guarantee coverage and supporting borrowers had contributed to the achievement.
Chatterjee said expanding collateral-free credit was strategically important for strengthening the entrepreneurship ecosystem in the two regions. He noted that CGTMSE coverage enables banks to support viable enterprises whose promoters have the ability and commitment to establish businesses but may not possess adequate collateral.
He said extending guarantee-backed credit to more eligible entrepreneurs could encourage the creation of new enterprises, facilitate the expansion of existing businesses and generate employment across the region.
The bank would continue to strengthen awareness about guarantee-backed lending and improve its delivery across its operational network so that more eligible micro and small enterprises could access finance to establish, sustain and expand their businesses, he added.
The recognition highlights the bank’s use of credit guarantee mechanisms to widen formal credit access for small businesses, particularly entrepreneurs who face difficulties in obtaining loans due to the lack of collateral.
