U. S. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner has urged Banks to boost lending to small businesses and consumers who are facing tight credit and mounting unemployment.

Timothy Geithner said that banks should shoulder some responsibility for the recent economic crisis.

Speaking at the Small Business Financing Forum in Washington, he said, "We need banks to be working with us, not against recovery."

Official figures showed that 22 largest banks, which obtained financial support from the government during the crisis, have already narrowed lending five times during the last six months. Overall outstanding loan balances dropped 1 per cent in September.

Small business loans outstanding fell by $10 billion to $259 billion in September as compared with last month.

Mr. Geithner said that the Obama administration is committed to help small businesses get more credit they need to hire new workers.