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LATEST NEWS UPDATES | Funds for short-term crop loans cut, 10.5 lakh farmers to be hit -Sarbjit Dhaliwal

Funds for short-term crop loans cut, 10.5 lakh farmers to be hit -Sarbjit Dhaliwal

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published Published on Aug 1, 2015   modified Modified on Aug 1, 2015
-The Tribune

Chandigarh: The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) has imposed a cut of Rs. 3,400 crore on the allocation made to the state to advance short-term crop loans.

The loans are advanced twice in a year for rabi and kharif crops. At least 10.5 lakh farmers are expected to be hit hard. These loans are advanced on half-yearly basis through agriculture cooperative societies.

On an average, NABARD used to allocate Rs. 6,300 crore for rabi season and an equal amount for kharif season. But this year, allocation for one season has been reduced to Rs. 4,600 crore.

Reacting to the move, Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal has asked Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley to restore the original allocation of Rs. 6,300 crore for the rabi crop and equal amount for the kharif crop. In fact, the government had urged the NABARD to raise the allocation to Rs. 7,000 crore for one season.

Sources said a part of funds, which used to be allocated for crop loans, was diverted to non-farm micro-finance companies for financial inclusion. Badal has told Jaitley that the reduction of funds meant would harm the interests of the farmers as well as agriculture in the state.

The state government has argued that even the short-term crop loans promote financial inclusion as farmers owning less then one hectare of land are given loans in cash and kind by cooperative societies that avail funds from cooperative banks in the state.

About the facility

* NABARD advances short-term crop loans to farmers twice in a year for rabi and kharif crops
* The loans are advanced through agriculture cooperative societies
* The societies give 60 per cent loan in cash and the remaining 40 per cent in kind such as fertilisers
* Farmers are given loan at 7% interest rate and those who repay on time, get a rebate of 3%

The fallout

* Against Rs. 6,300 cr allocation each for rabi and kharif seasons, NABARD has reduced it to Rs 4,600 cr each
* The farmers would have to approach private moneylenders who charge exorbitant interest rate
* Once farmers are caught in the debt trap, they rarely come out of it

The Tribune, 30 July, 2015, http://www.tribuneindia.com/news/punjab/funds-for-short-term-crop-loans-cut-10-5-lakh-farmers-to-be-hit/113497.html


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