Bhubaneswar: In a bid to ensure sufficient credit flow to farmers in view of Covid-19 crisis, the state government has raised its crop loan target for Kharif season to Rs 9,000 crore from Rs 7,500 crore, Cooperation Minister Ranendra Pratap Swain said here Thursday.
The government has set a target of providing Rs 5,000 crore crop loan by the quarter ending June and Rs 4,000 crore by quarter ending September.
He said small and marginal farmers, migrants, joint liability groups and women self-help groups had been given priority. Proper planning had been made to provide short-term credit for fisheries, animal husbandry, dairy and poultry sectors, he added. District Collectors have been asked to take necessary steps.
The government has asked the Collectors to disburse loan to women self-help groups (SHGs), who have repaid their loan on or before the due date. The cooperative banks can provide loans upto Rs 5,000 per SHG member and maximum Rs 1 lakh per SHG during the season.