UP fixes kharif crop loan target at Rs 3,065 crore

Lucknow, Jul 10 (UNI) Uttar Pradesh government has fixed a target to distribute Rs 3,065 crore crop loan to farmers for kharif this season.

Meanwhile, Rs 1,045.32 crore have already been disbursed till June 30, 2006.

Giving this information, agriculture minister Ashok Bajpai said Rs 2,240 crore target for commercial banks and Rs 825 crore target for cooperative banks had been fixed in this regard.

''The agriculture department officials have been directed that farmers should not face problem of agriculture inputs. They have been told to ensure availability of crop loan to farmers by preparing their 'Kisan Credit Cards' without delay.'' He said over 12 lakh application forms for crop loan were received by commercial banks till June 30. As against it, these banks sanctioned Rs 754.30 crore and distributed Rs 731.24 crore to farmers.

Similarly, the cooperative banks sanctioned Rs 314.08 crore and distributed an equal amount.

The minister informed farmers received about 35 per cent amount of the target by the end of June itself.

Commercial banks provided crop loan to 11,98,492 farmers by the end of June 2006.

UNI VS DKS HT1930