Crop loans worth Rs 16,000 crore will be distributed in Rajasthan: Gehlot

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot Thursday said the process to sanction fresh crop loans to farmers had started after their existing borrowings were waived.

He said crop loans worth Rs 16,000 crore will be given this year and that there will be no shortage of fertilisers and seeds in the state.

During the Congress' previous tenure, the scheme for disbursing interest-free crop loans to farmers was initiated.

Now we have made arrangements to ensure there is no defect in loan distribution and debt waiver, Gehlot said at an online crop loan distribution launch event here. On the occasion, the chief minister also inaugurated a cooperative bank ATM.

To tackle the stray animal menace, the state government has announced opening 'nandi shala' in every gram panchayat, Gehlot said.

He said the government has also set up a Rs 1,000-crore farmers' welfare fund for 'ease of doing farming', which will include advance storage of 1 lakh metric tonne DAP (inorganic fertiliser) and 2 lakh metric tonne urea.

Calling the introduction of online crop loan distribution in the cooperative sector a historic step, Gehlot said this will simplify the process of distribution of loans and also bring in transparency.

Now, farmers will be able to withdraw the loan amount through ATMs or POS machines, he added.

Minister of State for Cooperative Tikaram Juli advised ATM card holders to be alert against cyber frauds.