Zero-interest crop loans of up to Rs 50,000 proposed

The Maharashtra government has proposed crop loans of up to Rs 50,000 at zero interest. Its annual budget for 2010-11 seeks to double the scope of the Dr Panjabrao Deshmukh Crop Incentive Scheme from the present level of Rs 25,000 for such loans.

The scheme would apply for farmers who regularly repay their crop loans. During 2010-11, the government proposes to disburse Rs 12,000 crore in such loans.

Terminal Market Complexes will come up in Mumbai, Nagpur and Nashik. The government has also announced a Jeevandai Scheme. Under it, heart diseases, cancer, surgery of brain and spinal cord, kidney transplant and surgery of the urinary tract, burns and accidents would be covered. For the first phase, an allocation of Rs 250 crore is proposed, covering the districts of Raigad, Jalgaon, Solapur, Nanded, Amravati and Gadchiroli.

Under this scheme, health cards would be issued and a trust chaired by the chief minister monitor implementation. Reimbursement of expenditure on treatment would be through an insurance company. The government would select private and government hospitals for implementation.

Areas between Mumbai and Pune are to become part of a ‘knowledge corridor’ for jobs. A policy is to also be formulated to make the quadrilateral of Mumbai-Pune-Nashik-Aurangabad a focal point of agro industries and industrial development.

Deputy chief minister Chhagan Bhujbal said the government had proposed Rs 7,366 crore for irrigation and Rs 3,020 crore for the tribal sub plan. A special provision of Rs 650 crore to remove a physical backlog on related facilities in the districts of Amravati, Akola, Washim, Buldhana and Ratnagiri has been proposed.