NABARD has asked state cooperative banks, district central cooperative banks and regional rural banks to strengthen their internal checks and control systems as these entities collectively reported an over Rs 100 crore jump in frauds in the last financial year. The apex bank said it is quite disturbing that although the number of outstanding frauds has marginally declined as at March-end 2013 as compared to the position obtaining a year ago, the amount involved has considerably increased from Rs 612 crore to Rs 728 crore. The increase is largely on account of a few high-value frauds in the loans and advances segment. NABARD also said in several cases, banks were either not reporting or reporting the fraud with undue delay. The actual amount involved (in fraud) could therefore be higher, it added.
