Not many takers for farm loan in Chhattisgarh

Farmers in Chhattisgarh are showing least interest to a government scheme that provides agricultural loan at three per cent rate of interest.

Under a scheme announced by the state government in August 2008, the farmers in Chhattisgarh are getting agricultural loan at an interest rate of three per cent. Earlier, the rate of interest was six per cent that was reduced to three per cent.

But still, the state government was not finding much buyers for its ambitious schemes. As against the target of Rs 1,200 crore set for this year, only Rs 800 crore could be disbursed, a senior official with the state's cooperative department said.

The department has set up 1,333 primary societies across the state to disburse agricultural loan. While about 800,000 farmers are registered with the societies, only 465,000 farmers availed the loan for the kharif season 2010-11.

“The scheme has failed as farmers are not happy with the terms and conditions," farmers leader Virendra Pandey said. Under the scheme, the farmers are getting 60 per cent of the loan as cash and for the remaining 40 per cent, the beneficiary has to purchase fertilisers or seeds.