Nabard pegs 44% increase for Bengal priority sector lending

Reinstating West Bengal's focus on agriculture, the total priority sector lending for the state for 2010-11 has been projected about 44 per cent higher than the present financial year.

In the year 2009-10 the total priority sector lending was projected at about Rs 18,100 crore, with the farm lending target of Rs 13,400 crore.

At a recent state credit seminar total lending to the segment was fixed at Rs 26,000 crore, said P Mohanaih, chief general manager, National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (Nabard).

Next year, the state would renew its focus on funding through the joint liability group (JLG) by engaging more banks, non government organisations (NGO) and farmers' club, he added.

In 2010-11, Nabard targeted loan disbursements at about 80,000 JLG, with an average of five to six members in each group.

“The JLG scheme was introduced in 2006, but it did not receive a very good response. For the next year, we have made detailed plans with NGOs, banks and government officials at a meeting today,” said Mohanaih.

One of the problems which JLG faced was lack of incentive among farmers to form groups. However,to promote the groups, Nabard has roped in Panchayati Raj institutions, Krishi Vikas Kendras and farmers' clubs.

The move is aimed at giving more bank credit to small and marginal farmers, as in West Bengal against a farm household population of 50 lakh, only about 12 lakh families avail of loans through Kisan Credit Cards (KCC). Under the Farmers' Club Programme of Nabard, a total of 28,226 clubs covering 61,789 villages in 555 districts have been formed across India, to help farmers get access to credit, technology and extension services.

Recently, Nabard had sanctioned Rs 117.07 crore under the Rural infrastructure Development Fund (RIDF) XV to West Bengal for the construction of 29 rural road projects (Rs 94.76 crore), 11 flood protection projects (Rs 15.84 crore), one joint forest management project (Rs 4.16 crore) and agricultural farm projects (Rs 2.31 crore).

Also, Nabard in West Bengal, has joined hands with the Indian Institute of Banking & Finance(IIBF), Mumbai, for training business correspondents and business facilitators.

It had introduced a scheme to support the capacity building needs of business correspondents and business facilitators of banks in association, under which it will reimburse the course fee of to those who successfully complete the certificate course offered by IIBF.