Post News Network
Bhubaneswar, Nov 9: With the state cabinet deciding to give fresh loans to pest-affected farmers for Rabi cultivation, the Cooperation Department has asked the Registrar of Cooperative Society and Orissa State Cooperative Bank to speed up the relief measures.
Cooperation Secretary Ranjana Chopra, in her letter, to the Registrar of Cooperative Society and Managing Director of Orissa State Cooperative Bank, has said: “Wherever members of PACs are interested to avail crop loan, this should be provided within a period of 15days from the date of their application positively.”
She further wrote that since the crop loans financed during Kharif 2017 will be due for repayment March 25, 2018, there shouldn’t be any difficulties for providing fresh dose of finance to the affected farmers.
The secretary also asked the Registrar of Cooperative Society and the bank to take necessary steps to sensitise the farming community to go for massive cultivation of various crops during the current Rabi and also about loan facility to prevent farmers from knocking the doors of money lenders for the purpose.
She asked the registrar to expedite steps to organise joint liability groups by covering maximum number of share croppers/orgal lessees to provide them credit during the current Rabi 2017-18.
Ranjana Chopra also asked the Registrar, Cooperative Society to extend the due dates of crop loans from March 25, 2018 to September 30, 2018 as part of government’s decision to convert short term loans to medium term loans for farmers affected by the pest attack.
She said in case of 33 per cent to 50 per cent crop damage, loans will be converted into medium term repayable in two years with a moratorium of one year, and in case of crop damage above 50 per cent, loans will be made repayable in five years with one year moratorium.
After the cabinet meeting on agriculture November 6, Revenue Minister Maheswar Mohanty had said that as per the reports received from collectors around 1.12lakh hectares have been fest-infested
The minister said at that time that farmers who had sustained crop loss of 33 per cent and above due to pest attack will be allowed to take fresh financial loan during Rabi, even if they had taken loan during Kharif cultivation and are yet to repay it.
Agriculture Minister Damodar Rout had said that provision of Rs 5,000crore has been made towards disbursement of loans to farmers during Rabi cultivation.