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The department, through its regional offices and with the assistance of the department of financial services and other appropriate state agencies and public benefit corporations, shall actively market and promote awareness of the program in all geographical areas of the state among banks, banking organizations, manufacturing firms, manufacturing organizations, and regional and local economic development agencies. In soliciting lenders to participate in the program, on or before April first, nineteen hundred ninety-six, the commissioner of economic development shall give priority to the solicitation of lenders seeking to make linked loans in economic development regions in which fewer than ten linked loans have been made on or before April first, nineteen hundred ninety-five. Provided, however, that the granting of such priority shall in no way relieve the commissioner of economic development of the duty and obligation to solicit lenders from all economic development regions of the state.